BishopAccountability.org
	Pro-Family Activist Blasts Santa Rosa Bishop By Matt C. Abbott Renew America [California] June 25, 2006 http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/060625 Writer, Catholic and pro-family activist Allyson Smith of San Diego, Calif., recently composed the following letter to Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua. Stephan R. Passalacqua District Attorney County of Sonoma 600 Administration Drive, Room 212-J Santa Rosa, California Dear District Attorney Passalacqua, I write to request that you prosecute Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh to the fullest possible extent of the law for failing to timely report minor sexual abuse by one of his priests, Father Xavier Ochoa, who has since escaped to Mexico. According to a June 23, 2006 report by the Monterey Herald (included at end of this message), Ochoa on Friday, April 28 notified Bishop Walsh that he had sexually abused a 12-year-old boy. Charges your office has reportedly filed against Ochoa include sodomy, oral copulation and lewd conduct with a minor. Good luck prosecuting him now that he's south of the border. However, instead of calling a 24-hour sexual abuse hotline — as required by diocesan policy — to immediately report the molestation, Bishop Walsh turned the matter over to diocesan attorney Dan Galvin who waited until Monday, May 1 to fax a letter to Child Protective Services and to notify the local Sheriff's department the following day, May 2 — allowing Ochoa plenty of time to beat feet. The Monterey Herald further reported, "It was unlikely that church officials would face criminal charges for the tardy reporting, he [Passalacqua] said." Why, DA Passalacqua? Why won't your office prosecute Santa Rosa Catholic Church officials for failing to timely report minor sexual abuse? Your office should and must prosecute. The innocence of children — among the most vulnerable members of our society, who deserve love, advocacy and protection — is at stake here. Perverted priests, fully cognizant of their actions, who violate children's innocence must be prosecuted and removed from situations where they have access to juveniles — not coddled and let off the hook — especially by law enforcement. Do you accept the explanations of Santa Rosa diocesan personnel at face value, when the explosion of child abuse in this country — and particularly the Catholic Church in recent years — begs further investigation and harsh punishment? I pray not. The Monterey Herald also states Ochoa, ordained as a Jesuit (a term nowadays synonymous with active homosexuality) "is the 17th priest from the diocese to be accused of molesting a total of 62 children. In all, the diocese has paid or promised to pay dozens of people nearly $20 million since 1990." Today's Catholic priesthood is riddled with homosexuals. Homosexuals recruit and molest kids. They must be stopped. But the abuse of innocents by perverted sodomites will not stop until their bishops are held fully accountable by law enforcement. Stephan Passalacqua, you have an unprecedented opportunity here to do the right thing. Please do it. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to hold Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh to account — and to prevent further molestation of innocent young boys — by prosecuting him for failing to report Fr. Xavier Ochoa's admitted sexual abuse in a timely manner. Thank you. Allyson Smith San Diego, CA (Related article: "Child Molestation by Homosexuals and Heterosexuals") Matt C. Abbott is a Catholic journalist and commentator. He is a columnist for and/or contributor to RenewAmerica.us, TheConservativeVoice.com, MichNews.com, Catholic.org, Opeds.com, and Speroforum.com. He can be reached at mattcabbott@gmail.com.
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