Dark Canyon: Trust and Betrayal in the Northern New Mexico Church

By Ellen Berkovitch, Rita Daniels & Hannah Colton
KSFR (Santa Fe Public Radio)
October 11, 2017

http://ksfr.org/post/dark-canyon-trust-and-betrayal-northern-new-mexico-church

Two credibly accused priests served at the venerable St. Francis de Asis church in Ranchos de Taos, among other postings.

For the second feature-length installment of our series, our reporters go to Northern New Mexico where Catholicism has been a central part of life for centuries, since the Spanish conquest of New Mexico. The list of 74 credibly accused priests, brothers and deacons released by the Archbishop last month names more than a dozen priests who served the parishes in the Taos area.

St. Francis de Asis church in Ranchos de Taos is Rita Daniels begins the story. Ellen Berkovitch picks up from there with an exposition of all that is known about the 22-year of Father Michael P. O'Brien in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Next time when our series continues… One of the priests whom the Brad Hall law firm calls one of the most prolific abusers, Fr. Sabine Griego—is still alive. He’s been laicized but he’s still living in Las Vegas NM among many of the people who reported him for abuse.

Episode Credits: Mixing and sound design by Rita Daniels. Our theme music, Martjin Boer’s Romance for Piano and Cello, also music from Kai Engel, Blue Dot Sessions, Mogwai, El Chicano, Bexar Bexar, Calexico, Brian Eno, Reverie and John Murphey.