By Brittney Gordon
ABC 2
May 20, 2008
http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=263b7e26-fb4d-418b-9f29-d8cd192918ce
[with video]
On Tuesday members of a child sexual abuse advocacy group met at a home in Pikesville The topic of the day? The defrocking of Jerome Toohey.
"The Pope says that he's ashamedis he as ashamed that he participated in the cover-up for 25 years? Jesus would just vomit at their actions," says victim's advocate Frank Dingle.
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| Baltimore Priest Defrocked |
Pope Benedict the 16th has officially fired Jerome Toohey. He was a Baltimore priest who plead guilty to sexually abusing a minor in the late 80s and early 90s. At the time he was a chaplain at Calvert Hall. His defrocking comes 15 years after the fact. For many, this news is underwhelming.
"I went to Calvert Hall, and I was abused in 1973 by father Lawrence Brett," says abuse victim Bob Russell.
Bob is a member of 'Child Victim's Voice,' a group that is pushing state lawmakers to increase the statue of limitations for child sexual abuse. This group says that there are a lot more Maryland priests cut from the same cloth as Toohey.
"Toohey is one of 150 names reported to us that have abusedhow many of the rest have been defrocked?" asked an outraged Dingle.
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| Baltimore Priest Defrocked |
Calvert Hall sent ABC 2News this statement: "Calvert Hall condemns any instance of abuse, particularly the sexual abuse of a child. Jerome Toohey's actions and his violation of trust are reprehensible. Calvert Hall fully supports the Pope's decision."
That statement is not enough for victims like Bob Russell. The Calvert Hall grad says that his Christian faith was tested in the years after his abuse.
"In some respects it has completely removed it, at the same time is has redefined it."
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