Orthodox Reform
December 1, 2007
http://orthodoxreform.org/cases/fr-nicholas-katinas/sexual-abuse-coverup/
Documents related to the recent amended Katinas lawsuit allege a coverup that spans decades. Download the lawsuit summary (pictured to the right) to get a one page snapshot of the new revelations. Download the full lawsuit here . Other related affidavits and eyewitness testimonies can be downloaded below.
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KEY POINTS
1. Two New Victims Come Forward; One Joins Lawsuit
New victim alleges GOA investigated abuse claims in 1987 and knowingly left Katinas in power.
2. Diocese Bishop and Other Hierarchs Received Multiple Sexual Abuse Reports Over Almost 30 Years
A report was made in the late 1970s to the Chicago Diocese during the time of Bishop Iakovos and Fr. Isaiah (later Bishop Isaiah) who was then diocese chancellor. Another report was made in 1987 to Vicar General Triantafilou and Bishop Isaiah who both worked for the Archdiocese. Bishop Iakovos of the Chicago Diocese was also informed. At the local Dallas Church (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church) a Church Secretary and the wife of a parish council member knew of the report.
3. Multiple Testimonies Point to a Coverup in Katinas Case
Chicago church board president says key parish council members knew of Katinas' child sexual abuse and reported this to diocese officials, who then proceded to engage in what the board president described as a "coverup."
4. Witness Alleges Father Triantifilou, A Prominent Church Official, Was Instrumental in Coverup
Allegations that the current President of Holy Cross Seminary was involved in a coverup that illegally withheld child molestation report from law enforcement officials.
5. Katinas Current Clerical Status In Question
GOOA Synod of Bishops say they recommended defrocking him after lawsuit and media storm. The National Herald reported that the Patriarchate in Constantinople defrocked Katinas on July 11th, 2007, but the GOAA have not confirmed this. Was he defrocked? Why the silence?
6. New Reactions from DZ
DZ, whose 2005 report to the archdiocese was instrumental in exposing Katinas, reacts to this breaking news. He said he now knows that "…members of the parish council of the Assumption Church and the GOAA were aware of NK's pedophilia in 1974 and the only actions they took were hiding the truth and transferring him to the Dallas church. In 1987, the Vicar General and Chancellor of the GOAA were also aware of NK's pedophilia and again did nothing except to shame the victim and his parents into silence." He goes on to say, "I feel so angry that these church members, who had the power, authority and legal obligation to report Katinas' sexual abuse to the parish and police, took no action."
DOWNLOADS
1. 4th Amended Lawsuit.pdf
2. Katinas Allegations.pdf
3.Illinois Board President Affidavit.pdf
4. Illinois Victim Affidavit.pdf
5. Illinois Victim's Mother Affidavit.pdf
6. DZ Reacts to GOAA Coverup.pdf
TEXT EXCERPTS FROM ATTACHMENTS
ILLINOIS CHURCH BOARD MEMBER SAYS KATINAS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT LED TO HIS REASSIGNMENT; CHURCH OFFICIALS ENGAGED IN "COVERUP" (Selections from 'Redacted Illinois Board President Affidavit.pdf')
Board President Starts To Suspects Father Katinas of Pedophilia
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pp. 33-37
The board president tells of three incidents he'd experienced first hand that made him suspicious of Katinas' sexual activities. Once, he said, "I returned to the church unexpectedly to retrieve a business file after having signed checks" when "I opened the second door into the office, Father Katinas was in his office and this young fellow, a parishioner, was pulling his pants up and putting a shirt on."
The board president goes on to tell of sharing a hotel room with Katinas at a church basketball tournament. "At about 1:30, I got up — I just happened to wake up — I looked over and I didn't see Father Katinas. So I went out in the hall and I went into one of the rooms right away were the kids were. Some of them were sleeping, still no Father Katinas. So I called Security." Later they found Katinas in a room "like a storage room" where "Father Katinas was supposedly playing cards with three of the basketball players." The parishioner then described his suspicion of acts of pedophilia with the underage boys.
The board president tells of a third event. "I was just driving by (the church) and I saw Father Katinas' car out there." The parishioner went into the church and found a the entrance to the second floor strangely locked. "So I knocked on the door. And, finally, Father Katinas came down there." The parishioner says a couple of parish boys were in the room with him. "It just seemed inappropriate that he would lock the door and be up there with two young boys." The parishioner told Katinas, "That door should never be locked."
- pp. 30-32
After learning of a child sexual molestation incident, the board president of the Olympia Fields Church asked a fellow board member to take actions to have Katinas reassigned.
The board president said, "I told ****** that Father Katinas could not stay here. And I told him he has got to take whatever action is necessary to see that he is reassigned."
The second board member — familiar with the victim's situation — said, "I believe that they are considering going to the State's attorney's office" to file a complaint.
When asked, if he was concerned that there might be future assaults on other minors, the board president president said, "Yes, I was."
p. 114
The board president said, "It was explicit that I wanted ****** to follow through to have Father Katinas reassigned." The board president was intent upon "having him (Katinas) leave our church, and it would be the decision of the Diocese or the Archdiocese as to whether or not he is reassigned."
pp. 38-39
The board president then instructed a church board member to take care of dealing with the Katinas situation. He asked for an update from this board member on getting Katinas reassigned. "I saw him about a week or two later. And I asked him to give me an update. He said that, 'Everything is moving along.'" The board president made it clear that "actions were being taken to have Father Katinas reassigned."
p. 42
When asked why Katinas was reassigned from the Olympia Fields Church, the former board president said, "I believe it [sic] was reassigned because of the fact this his conduct, his sexual misconduct, was known to the Archdiocese."
p. 44
The board president goes on to say, "…it is obvious to me that this was the procedure they used — which I have to use the term "cover-up", as to what actually happened.
p. 129
Evidently, the board president did not expect Katinas to continue in a pastoral role after reassignment. When asked, "If you had known that Father Katinas would have been reassigned to — as pastor to the church in Dallas, would you have taken a different course that what you did?" The board president responded, "Absolutely," going on to say, "…based on what has happened over the last 25 or 30 years, we know that there is a situation here that has not been addressed properly and that — based on that kind of experience, a more proactive stance should have been taken in this kind of situation, both for the benefit of the church, the parishioners and Father Katinas."
- 3. When I was a boy, my family were parishioners at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Olympia, Fields., Illinois. Father Nicholas Katinas was the pastor.
5. In the spring of 1974, just after I turned thirteen years old, Father Katinas asked my parents if I could help fix the church organ. I had known Father Katinas as our priest and I trusted him. He had come to our house for dinner on several occasions. He had even watched by brother and me swimming in our backyard swimming pool a few times. My mother were very involved at the church. It was considered a great honor to have a family friend who was a priest.
6. That day, I believe it was a Thursday, my parents dropped me off around lunchtime. When I first arrived Father Katinas greeted my parents. After they left he took me into his office for a brief time. He was dressed in his collar, black shirt and pants. He explained about the problem they were having with the church organ. I had a Panasonic electronics catalog with me because I was very interested at the time in portable televisions. I placed the catalog on Father Katinas' desk and then Father took me to where the organ was located. I spent some time working on the organ. After I was done, Father Katinas asked me if I wanted to shoot some hoops on the basketball court. I said OK and he led me to the gym located on the church property. After we played some basketball, I remembered I had left my Panasonic catalog in Father Katinas' office. I went to retrieve it and Father Nick followed me.
7. After we entered the office, Father Katinas closed the door. I reached for the catalog on the desk. There was a chair by the desk. Father Katinas seemed very interested in the catalog and began asking me questions about the electronics products pictured in it. As I answered his question. He moved around the desk until he was leaning over me, from behind. He was close enough that I could feel his breath on my neck.
8. He asked me if I wanted a back rub and started massaging my shoulders. He told me to unbutton my shirt and loosen my belt and pants so he could give me a better massage. At this point, I became alarmed. I grabbed the chair with both MY hands and held on. I told him No, I did not want to take off my shirt and pants and I did not want to get on the floor. He then started forcibly pushing me to the floor, telling me to lie down on the floor so he could rub me. I said to him, "I don't know what you think you are doing but I need to get out of here." I knew what he wanted to do — touch my privates. I was scared. When Father Nick saw that I was panicked, he stared asking me questions about the catalog again. I told him, "I want to go home." He looked very guilty. He led me out of the office , took me to his car and drove me home. I sat in the back seat of his car with my hand on the door handle the entire ride. I wanted to get away from him. He did not say a word about what he had just done. He acted as if it never happened.
9. When I arrived home, my parents' friend , who lived with us opened the door. I ran inside. I was still thinking about what had just happened and began crying. asked me what was wrong. I blurted out, "The priest molested me today." I asked to tell my parents because I was too upset. Katinas was held in such high esteem by my parents, especially my mother. I was afraid of how she would react. I was embarrassed and ashamed, as if it had been my fault.
10. When my parents arrived home, I heard tell them, "Father tried to molest " They asked me what happened. I was crying but told them. My father was furious, He bolted up to go "kill" Katinas. My mother, and I pleaded with him not to. We were afraid of what Dad really would do to the priest. After a little while, when my Dad had calmed down a little, my mother called her friend, and told her what had happened. We never went back to that church again.
11. Long after the incident, I had nightmares about it. From time to time I would think about what Father Katinas had tried to do and could have done to me and I get angry like my Dad. When I read about Katinas lawsuit in the Chicago newspaper, I told my parents, "Good, he finally got caught."
- The mother of the abuse victim tells of the events from her perspective.
6. "When we arrived to pick up our son from the church late that afternoon, I walked into the church and my husband stayed in the car. I asked a fellow parishioner where my son was. That parishioner responded, "left in a hurry. He was discombobulated and he was crying for you."
7. When I got to the car, I told my husband something had happened, that we needed to get home right away. Our home was located about some fifteen- minutes drive from the church. We hurried home and rushed into the house. The friend that was living with us, said, "The priest molested your kid." My son then came running toward us screaming, "Mom! Dad! I have to tell you what happened!" He was very upset. He was crying.
8. We told him to settle down and tell us what had happened. He said, "You think Father Katinas is your friend. Well, let me tell you what he did! "He tried to get me to unbutton my shirt, loosen my belt and pushed me toward the floor. He was trying to molest me."
9. My son kept repeating, "How could he do this? He was you friend. He is a priest."
10. 1 was in shock. My husband was furious. "I'm going to kick the shit out of Katinas!" he shouted. Our sons, myself and pleaded with I h not to go. We all tried to calm him down and talk him out of it.
11. I was upset and confused. That same day, I called my friend from the AWS, and told her what Father Katinas had done to my son and asked her what I should do. ******* was a school teacher so I thought she would give me good advice. She is also the sister- in–law of ********* and discouraged me from saying anything. I also called my sister and brother-in-law, who also discouraged me from saying anything. All three persuaded me not to take any action for fear of hurting my son because of the gossip and the scandal it would cause.
12. The next day or the day following, Father Katinas telephone me. "Hi" he said, and I answered, " How could you? How could you do something like that to my son? You're a sick person. You need help." He replied, "I know I am. I know I do." "As long as you're in that church," I told him, "I will never step foot in it again." He said, "I don't blame you." That was the last time I ever talked to him.
13. I left Assumption Church after the incident but remained friends with several of the AWS ladies on a personal basis. Through my continuing contacts with the Greek community, I subsequently heard several stories of Katinas' molesting other boys in the parish.
- "When I submitted my official complaint of clergy sexual abuse in October, 2005, I was told by the GOAA Chancellor's office that this was the first official complaint about Nicholas Katinas' (NK) pedophilia. After the abuse ended in 1972, I always had a feeling, based on some of NK's statements, that there were other victims. However, I was so paralyzed in my shame that I didn't take any action; I just tried to ignore those memories. Decades later when I started therapy to delve into my wounds, I realized that I also felt guilt for not exposing NK earlier in my life to possibly prevent other innocent children from being molested by NK.
Now I learn that members of the parish council of the Assumption Church and the GOAA were aware of NK's pedophilia in 1974 and the only actions they took were hiding the truth and transferring him to the Dallas church. In 1987, the Vicar General and Chancellor of the GOAA were also aware of NK's pedophilia and again did nothing except to shame the victim and his parents into silence.
I feel so angry that these church members, who had the power, authority and legal obligation to report Katinas' sexual abuse to the parish and police, took no action. It's unconscionable and goes against the teachings of Jesus Christ. The GOAA is not being forthright or transparent in their handling of clergy abuse cases. The church teaches all its "children" to act in an honest manner, but the church elders are not walking their talk.
Recently, the Holy Trinity Church in Dallas sent out a letter to all of its parishioners asking them to donate money to help pay legal fees for the lawsuit against NK, Holy Trinity, Denver Metropolis and the GOAA. Now that the church's involvement and cover-up has been exposed, how will Holy Trinity, the Metropolis and the GOAA respond? Will they admit that there was past guilt and settle the lawsuit with the victims? Will they continue denying any involvement and dig in their heels? The present leaders of the church need to acknowledge the wrongdoing of those leaders who came before them.
The church wants to put this embarrassing and hurtful situation behind them and move on; however this is the opportune time to analyze and try to improve processes around preventing and identifying clergy abuse. My fear is that the GOAA will not make changes and business will continue, "as usual" and the chances of clergy molestation reoccurring is greater."
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