Former priest pleads guilty to child pornography charges | PhillyVoice

 

Mark Haynes

June 08, 2015

 

A former Archdiocese of Philadelphia priest pleaded guilty to all charges relating to the distribution of child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Monday. 

Mark Haynes of West Chester was arrested in October 2014 by Chester County Police after an Instagram account containing nude photos of a 14-year-old girl was linked to his email address. 

Haynes, 56, posed as a 16-year-old girl named Katie online, requesting sexually explicit photos and videos from underage girls and distributing them on the internet. 

He had last served with the church as parochial vicar at Saints Simon and Jude Parish in West Chester, a position he was removed from by the Archdiocese following his arrest. Ordained in 1985, Haynes previously served at a number of parishes in Chester, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

A sentencing hearing is set for September 10, 2015. Haynes faces a minimum 10 years in prison with a maximum sentence of life, along with potential fines and a supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI in cooperation with the Chester County Criminal Investigative Division, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

Former priest pleads guilty to child pornography charges | PhillyVoice

Music chief for pope’s Philly Mass quits in dispute with Archbishop Chaput

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The head of liturgical music for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, who was also to play a key role orchestrating the huge outdoor Mass concluding Pope Francis’ trip to the U.S. in September, is resigning his post over long-standing differences with Archbishop Charles Chaput.
John Romeri, who has headed the archdiocesan liturgical music office for five years, said that he will resign effective June 30 because “there are simply irreconcilable differences” with Chaput over the role and style of music at Mass.
Romeri did not respond to requests for comment, and it was unclear whether he would still play a role in preparations for the papal visit.
A spokesman for Chaput, Kenneth Gavin, said in an email that he could not comment on personnel matters and “there are no additional updates.” But he said that the archdiocese “will be prepared for the visit of the Holy Father on all fronts, including music for the Mass on the Parkway.”
The Ben Franklin Parkway, which runs through Philadelphia, will be closed to accommodate the more than 1 million pilgrims expected to attend the Sept. 27 papal Mass. It is part of what officials say will be the largest series of public events in the city’s history.
In his resignation announcement, which he buried in a list of liturgy news last month, Romeri indicated that he and Chaput had clashed almost from the time Chaput was appointed to Philadelphia in 2011, a year after Romeri arrived.
Romeri wrote that these “several years of discontent” on Chaput’s part culminated with the music Romeri arranged this April for Holy Week and Easter. The approach, he said, “was not well received by the archbishop.”
“While at this point, I am not sure just what my next musical adventure looks like, it is absolutely the right thing for me to leave this present situation,” Romeri wrote. He said he would remain as music director for Philadelphia’s Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul through the summer.
The resignation quickly sparked an intense online debate in the beehive world of Catholic liturgists, where even the smallest tweak to a rubric can become a source of extended discussion.
But it also has a wider resonance because Romeri is vice chair of the two committees organizing the music and rites for various events during the Philadelphia leg of the Sept. 22-27 papal visit.
Francis is to visit Washington, D.C., first, then New York. He is scheduled to end the trip by spending two days in Philadelphia to close the church’s World Meeting of Families.
“A change like this ahead of the papal visit must be causing a mini-meltdown in the Archdiocese,” Nathan Chase wrote in a post at a well-known Catholic liturgy blog, Pray Tell.
A clash over liturgy so close to such a major papal event, and one in which the liturgy plays such a central role, could complicate what is already a huge undertaking for the Philadelphia Archdiocese and the Vatican.
But such hurdles are hardly unprecedented.
Papal visits are tremendously complex, stressful and expensive projects for the dioceses hosting the pope. There is intense jockeying among bishops to try to host the pontiff, and much maneuvering within a host diocese over where the pope will visit and who will get to meet him — and how each papal event will be organized.
Then everything must be run through a committee, and approved by the Vatican. The process almost guarantees arguments, especially over liturgies, which are often flashpoints for internal church battles.
Outdoor papal Masses also tend to be huge events that must communicate a sacred rite in broad strokes to a diverse assemblage. So the music and design often have a popular, modern style that can irk liturgical traditionalists.
Many speculated that this difference in liturgical tastes might have contributed to the falling out between Chaput and his music director.
Romeri is said to have more of a “high church” sensibility in liturgy than Chaput, who has expressed a preference for the newer Mass in English and simpler styles of worship.
While Chaput is often described as a doctrinal and cultural conservative, in the Catholic Church, that does not necessarily equate with liturgical traditionalism, which is its own distinct — and proud — brand.

Read more at http://national.deseretnews.com/article/4691/Music-chief-for-pope7s-Philly-Mass-quits-in-dispute-with-Archbishop-Chaput.html#tYx6lO5qyISmOb1U.99

Archdiocese: Embezzlement inquiry has no effect on World Meeting

David O'Reilly, Inquirer Staff Writer Last updated: Saturday, May 30, 2015, 1:07 AM Posted: Friday, May 29, 2015, 1:03 PM The Vatican archbishop in charge of overseeing the World Meeting of Families, to be held in Philadelphia this year, is under investigation for possible embezzlement, according to several European news organizations. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, reportedly bought the 14th-century San Girolamo castle in Umbria, Italy, at an artificially low price with the intention of reselling it at market value. "The alleged scam" would have netted a profit of about $4.4 million, the London newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported Friday. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which is hosting the eighth triennial World Meeting in September, issued a statement Friday saying the investigation of Paglia did not appear to affect the meeting. "I assure everyone that matters facing him do not impact our plans for September," Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said in the statement. "We continue to work without interruption and joyfully anticipate welcoming our Holy Father and the world to Philadelphia later this year." He said he was praying for Paglia. Pope Francis is scheduled to be in Philadelphia for two days at the close of the six-day gathering. Paglia was bishop of the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia from 2000 to 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI named him head of the Pontifical Council for the Family. The Vatican office promotes the Catholic Church's teachings on family and is responsible for organizing the World Meetings. According to news sources, the San Girolamo castle belonged to the township of Narni, whose municipal government sold it to Paglia and others four years ago for the equivalent of $1.9 million, or one-third of its true value. "Prosecutors . . . suspect that the alleged conspirators planned to manage it for a few years, either as an upmarket guesthouse or for religious purposes," and then sell it for $6.1 million, the Daily Telegraph reported. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Italian prosecutors are investigating Paglia "on allegations of criminal conspiracy and fraud" in connection with the sale of the castle. Funds belonging to the diocese "were allegedly used illegally, and money was found to be missing from diocese funds," AFP reported. Paglia has denied any wrongdoing. "I remain at the disposition of the investigating authorities and I have full confidence in the justice system," he said in a statement. The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's chief spokesman, said, "We at the Vatican have nothing in particular to say about this affair. We trust that the magistracy will do its work well." The World Meeting of Families-Philadelphia 2015, a nonprofit entity created by the archdiocese to raise the estimated $45 million needed for the event, issued its own statement Friday. "Although the news received today regarding Archbishop Paglia is troubling, it does not affect the World Meeting of Families," it said. "Our partnership is with the Pontifical Council for the Family and not any individual from that office." "Planning for the event is progressing positively and without interruption. It is important to note that the World Meeting of Families-Philadelphia 2015 is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from both the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Pontifical Council for the Family," it continued. "All fund-raising for September's events is done through the World Meeting of Families-Philadelphia 2015, with funds held in separate and distinct accounts from the archdiocese and the Pontifical Council for the Family. "We have been - and remain - committed to ensuring that financial best practices are employed at all levels of the organization," it said. Paglia, 70, visited Philadelphia in March to promote the World Meeting, at which time he publicly sampled milkshakes at a Potbelly sandwich shop in Center City. The one he chose, a vanilla and shortbread butter cookie flavor, became the official milkshake of Francis' visit. Proceeds from the sale of the milkshakes - 50 cents of the $3.90 price - were to flow to the World Meeting as part of the local fund-raising effort. "I'm excited to see good friends and to taste," Paglia said as he sipped on the shake. "You are in a beautiful and splendid city and now I am one of you." The newspaper Corriere Della Sera in Milan, Italy, reported that prosecutors have said Paglia appears to have been "one of the instigators" of the alleged fraud. AFP said the Terni diocese is also "one of the most indebted" dioceses in Europe, with a deficit of about $27 million. Nine other people are under investigation, including the former mayor of Narni and two employees of the diocese. They, and the archbishop, have 20 days in which to present a defense. Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/305482131.html#BRyUruKbdzYKKFeO.99

Judge orders Msgr. Lynn back to prison

 

Joseph A. Slobodzian, Inquirer Staff Writer

Last updated: Friday, May 1, 2015, 1:08 AM
Posted: Thursday, April 30, 2015, 10:11 AM

Msgr. William J. Lynn, the first Catholic Church official convicted in the clergy sex-abuse scandal, returned to prison Thursday after a Philadelphia judge ordered him to resume his sentence for child endangerment.

Lynn, 64, was taken to the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, about four miles across Northeast Philadelphia from the rectory of St. William parish in Crescentville, where he had lived on house arrest since January 2014.

Lynn's lawyer, Thomas A. Bergstrom, said he would challenge Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina's ruling. Sarmina in July 2012 sentenced Lynn to three to six years for his conviction on charges of endangering the welfare of children.

Lynn is expected to shortly be transferred to the state prison at Waymart, in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he spent almost 18 months until he was released on house arrest when Superior Court reversed his conviction. On Monday, the state Supreme Court reinstated Lynn's guilty verdict, and at a hearing Thursday morning at the Criminal Justice Center, Lynn seemed resigned to what was going to happen.

Lynn turned to Bergstrom with a half-smile and a shrug before he was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies.

Bergstrom argued that Lynn should be permitted to stay at St. William under house arrest while he pursues further appeals. Bergstrom said Lynn had lived up to every provision of house arrest, and a probation officer lauded Lynn's conduct.

Sarmina, however, agreed with Assistant District Attorney Patrick Blessington that now that the state's highest court has ruled, Lynn should be in prison.

"Well, I think things are back where they were when I sentenced Msgr. Lynn," Sarmina said. "The same reasons I stated then exist."

"Somebody call for a sheriff," the judge added before leaving the bench.

Lynn was convicted and sentenced after a landmark 13-week trial in 2012 over his role supervising priests accused of sexually abusing children.

As the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's secretary for clergy from 1992 to 2004, Lynn was responsible for investigating sexual-abuse complaints made against priests and recommending punishment to the archbishop.

The jury found that Lynn allowed Rev. Edward V. Avery, who had a history of sexually abusing children, to live in a Northeast Philadelphia rectory, where he later assaulted a 10-year-old altar boy. Avery pleaded guilty in the 1999 attack and is serving five years in prison.

Lynn argued in his appeal that he could not be convicted for his supervisory role because the state child-endangerment statute was not amended to include supervisors until 2007 - three years after he left as clergy secretary.

Judge orders Msgr. Lynn back to prison

Charges reinstated against Philadelphia priest in landmark sex-abuse case | lehighvalleylive.com

 

The state's highest court on Monday reinstated the landmark child-endangerment conviction of a Roman Catholic monsignor who was the first U.S. church official ever prosecuted over his handling of sex abuse complaints.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the 2012 felony conviction of Monsignor William Lynn for endangering an altar boy abused by a priest who had been transferred to his parish despite earlier complaints.

Lynn's lawyers have long argued that Lynn, as secretary for clergy, was not responsible for the welfare of the victim under existing Pennsylvania law. However, the state Supreme Court in a 4-1 ruling disagreed, potentially sending the 64-year-old Lynn back to prison.

"(Lynn) was a person supervising the welfare of many children because, as a high-ranking official in the archdiocese of Philadelphia, he was specifically responsible for protecting children from sexually abusive priests," Justice Max Baer wrote.

Lynn had served half of a three-to-six-year sentence when a Superior Court opinion in late 2013 threw out his conviction and led to his release. He has remained on house arrest, in a northeast Philadelphia rectory, while prosecutors appealed.

Defense lawyer Thomas Bergstrom said Lynn may appeal the novel legal issues in the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"They're equating Lynn with being in charge of all of the children of the archdiocese, whether they were abused or not," Bergstrom said. "It's troubling to me that this broad approach would be approved by the court."

"He, Lynn, never even knew about this abuse until 2009 and never even knew the child existed, let alone that he was being abused by (the Rev. Edward) Avery," Bergstrom said.

Avery pleaded guilty to abusing the boy but later recanted his apparent admission during Lynn's trial. He was— sentenced to 2 1/2 to five years in prison.

Avery was one of several priests reassigned to unsuspecting parishes despite complaints that Lynn reviewed at the archdiocese, where he held the high-ranking post under two cardinals from 1992 to 2004.

"I did not intend any harm to come to (the boy). The fact is, my best was not good enough to stop that harm," Lynn said at his July 2012 sentencing. "I am a parish priest. I should have stayed (one)."

The same boy also accused another priest and a teacher at the same parish of abusing him. Both were convicted.

Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina told Lynn that he should have stood up to his bishops. Instead, she said, he enabled "monsters in clerical garb . to destroy the souls of children."

Lynn has 14 days to decide whether to appeal Monday's ruling.

"I don't think it's fair to assume anybody's going to pick him up tonight," Bergstrom said.

The Philadelphia district attorney's office, which prosecuted him, praised the Supreme Court's ruling.

"Today's announcement sends the clear message that if anyone - priest, layperson, citizen, police officer or elected official - knowingly puts children at risk of being sexually molested, they will be held accountable," District Attorney Seth Williams

Charges reinstated against Philadelphia priest in landmark sex-abuse case | lehighvalleylive.com

First Two Phila. Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Settle | The Legal Intelligencer

 

Two plaintiffs in civil cases alleging they had been abused by priests from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have settled their lawsuits against the church for an undisclosed amount, according to their attorney.

The settlements concluded the cases of John Doe 10 and John Doe 187, who claimed they were the victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by archdiocese clerics. Malvern-based attorney Daniel Monahan represents the plaintiffs and said the terms of the settlement remain confidential at the wishes of his clients.

According to the complaints, Doe 187, a former altar boy at the Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, alleged that Father William Ayres abused him in different areas of the church, while Doe 10 claimed he was sexually abused in the bathroom of the St. Aloysius Academy in Bryn Mawr as a student by former priest Martin Satchell. Both incidents were alleged to have occurred in the 1990s, while the plaintiffs were minors.

The plaintiffs alleged that the archdiocese knew about patterns of abuse committed by priests, but did nothing to safeguard those children who were at risk. According to Monahan, the settlement itself is between the plaintiffs and the archdiocese, as all other defendants, including Ayres and Satchell, had been dismissed.

Conrad O’Brien attorney Nicholas M. Centrella represents the archdiocese and did not return a call seeking comment. The archdiocese’s communications office did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

Monahan said the settlements were significant for the plaintiffs.

“One of the important things for these clients is a sense of empowerment, taking back some of the power they lost when they were children,” Monahan said.

According to Monahan, roughly 15 clergy abuse cases handled by his firm have been dismissed on statute of limitations issues, while an additional two are on appeal before the state Superior Court for similar issues. Doe 10 and Doe 187 are the first two to reach settlement.

First Two Phila. Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Settle | The Legal Intelligencer

Retrial begins for Philly priest in molestation case

 

PHILADELPHIA Catholic priest took advantage of a quiet kid when he allegedly molested a 10-year-old altar boy in 1997, a prosecutor told a Common Pleas jury yesterday.

The Rev. Andrew McCormick, 58, is being retried a year after a jury remained deadlocked after more than four days of deliberations.

McCormick is accused of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, endangering the welfare of a child and indecent assault of a child under 13 years of age, among other charges.

In her opening statement yesterday, Assistant District Attorney Kristen Kemp said that McCormick had "picked and targeted [the victim] because he wouldn't tell."

The alleged victim, whose name the Daily News is withholding due to the graphic nature of the allegations, is now 28.

The man does not remember the exact date of the alleged incident, but recalls that it was cold outside and that "it was a holy day of obligation," Kemp said in her opening argument.

McCormick allegedly asked the boy, " 'Hey, do you want to see my room upstairs?' " at St. John Cantius Church in Bridesburg, Kemp said.

Once there, the prosecution alleges, McCormick assaulted the boy.

"In an instant, he was not the Father Andy that [the boy] trusted and loved," Kemp told the jury. "He was on him, kissing him and grabbing his genitals."

Kemp further described the priest trying to push his penis into the boy's mouth. When the boy resisted, McCormick allegedly order him to leave.

Kemp said that the alleged victim did not report the incident at that time, but told his cousin a year later and a group on a high-school religious retreat seven years later. Eventually, she said, he told his dad in a middle-of-the-night text message in 2011.

Kemp read the text to the jury: "Hey Dad, I don't want to wake you, but I woke up out of my sleep. And things have been bothering me. And I'm just going to come out and say it. Father Andy molested me."

The defense contends that the alleged victim was a troubled person who "has battled substance abuse for most of his life," McCormick's lawyer, Trevan Borum, said in his opening statement.

"He's been a priest for 30 years," Borum said. "He's served in four different parishes. During that 30 years, he's come into contact with hundreds, if not thousands, of altar boys. [The alleged victim] is the only person in that 30 years that has ever accused Father McCormick of child molestation."

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia placed McCormick on administrative leave in March 2011 in response to allegations of sexual misconduct with minors.

Borum said that when the alleged victim told people at the high-school retreat about the alleged incident "he doesn't say who molested him, he doesn't say when it happened."

The trial continues at 9:30 a.m. today.

Retrial begins for Philly priest in molestation case

Training sessions help local Catholics explain the faith to journalists - Catholic Philly

 

When Pope Francis visits Philadelphia this September following the World Meeting of Families, in addition to the huge numbers of the faithful in town hoping to see and hear the Holy Father, it’s a certainty there will be thousands of journalists all trying to get a unique quote, if not from the lips of Francis himself but from people who came to see and hear him.

Since there will be far too many for the Communications staffs of the archdiocese and the World Meeting of Families to serve, an invitation went out for volunteers who are knowledgeable in the faith to attend weekend training sessions so they will be able to articulate the faith in the public square as needed.

In a letter last December, Archbishop Charles Chaput said more than 5,000 reporters are expected to be present in Philadelphia for the families’ congress Sept. 22-25 and the papal visit Sept. 25-27.

“We’re going to need well-informed priests, religious and lay people from across the archdiocese who represent the broad spectrum of our diverse Catholic family to help us speak to the media about Church teaching on a variety of matters,” he said.

He invited local Catholics to attend training sessions offered by Catholic Voices USA in conjunction with the Communications Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and communications personnel with the World Meeting of Families.

Founded in 2012, Catholic Voices USA is one of a dozen similar groups around the world patterned after Catholic Voices UK, which was founded in 2010. Catholic Voices has done similar training in a number of dioceses.

The purpose is not to tell people what they should say but rather how they should express it, and the techniques are effective no matter what the topic. By coincidence when Catholic Voices UK was founded, the first issue they dealt with was a visit by Pope Benedict XVI to England.

The initial training sessions were held at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in January and most recently on Friday evening, Feb. 20 and Saturday, Feb. 21. Fifteen people had signed up to come to last week’s sessions, according to Lizanne Magarity-Pando, director of communications and marketing for the World Meeting of Families.

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Training sessions help local Catholics explain the faith to journalists - Catholic Philly

Activity Picks Up in Clergy Sex-Abuse Suits | The Legal Intelligencer

 

The plaintiff in a priest sex-abuse case is appealing a Philadelphia judge’s ruling that the statute of limitations barred his claims. Meanwhile, the case that will be the second priest sex-abuse lawsuit to go to trial in Philadelphia is set to head to the courtroom in early March.

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Jacqueline F. Allen said the statute of limitations ran on plaintiff Philip Gaughan’s claims against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 2000, two years after he turned 18. Gaughan claimed he suffered psychological trauma from being sexually abused by a priest from 1994 to 1997.

According to Allen’s memorandum, Gaughan alleged that he didn’t realize the abuse had caused a psychological injury until 2010. Gaughan’s lawsuit was filed in 2011.

Malvern-based attorney Daniel Monahan, who handles the bulk of the clergy abuse cases in Philadelphia, represents Gaughan.

In arguing that the statute of limitations be tolled, Monahan said, “We’re trying to convince the appellate courts that the sex-abuse cases are like any type of latent disease case where people don’t know about it until very late in life.”

The developments in the Gaughan case come just over a month after the first clergy-abuse case settlement in Philadelphia, according to Monahan. The details of the settlement are confidential and Monahan said his client wishes to remain anonymous.

Nicholas Centrella of Conrad O’Brien represents the archdiocese and did not return calls seeking comment.

The next clergy case headed to trial is John Doe 187 v. Archdiocese of Philadelphia, scheduled for early March.

A fuller version of this article will be posted later when the article is completed.

Activity Picks Up in Clergy Sex-Abuse Suits | The Legal Intelligencer

Archdiocese Of Philadelphia Says $30M Raised So Far For World Meeting Of Families « CBS Philly

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – With about seven months to go before Pope Francis arrives in Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families, the Archdiocese confirmed its fundraising is on track to its $45 million goal.

They say that to date, $30 million dollars in cash and in-kind donations have been pledged in anticipation of the Papal visit in late September.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia says the current pledges put the fundraising effort at 67 percent toward the estimated budget and fundraising goal.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput says, “Wonderful generosity and great enthusiasm for the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis have defined our initial fundraising efforts. From those supporting this event, we have often heard about the fundamental importance of the family in strengthening our communities at-large, and regardless of faith, all have expressed a desire to support the institution of the family, which is the cornerstone of our society. There is also great excitement about the visit by Pope Francis and how his presence in Philadelphia next September will bring people of all faiths together in conversation, service and ultimately, love.”

At this time, no additional details about the World Meeting of Families have been shared.

Archdiocese Of Philadelphia Says $30M Raised So Far For World Meeting Of Families « CBS Philly

Phila. Archdiocese puts priest on administrative leave

 

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has placed a Bucks County priest on administrative leave while it reviews allegations against him.

The archdiocese said Sunday it had placed the Rev. Louis J. Kolenkiewicz, 47, on leave, "in an abundance of caution."

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput took the action in response to new information stemming from allegations that were investigated twice before, in 2005 and 2011.

The archdiocese did not disclose details of the allegations but said Kolenkiewicz was alleged to have violated ministry standards regarding the boundaries of appropriate behavior for interacting with children and young people.

The allegations did not involve illegal or inappropriate contact with a minor, the archdiocese said in a statement.

Kolenkiewicz was on administrative leave from 2011 to 2014 while the earlier allegations were reviewed.

He could not be reached for comment Sunday.

David Clohessy, director of SNAP, a national advocacy group for victims of clergy sex abuse, says it can take numerous people to provide information before meaningful change occurs.

"Oftentimes, the priests who are reinstated tend to be very politically connected both inside and outside the church," he said in an interview Sunday.

"It's crucial that every single person with information or suspicions come forward, "he said. "Only vigilance protects kids."

Kolenkiewicz was most recently assigned to St. Bede the Venerable Parish in Holland, Bucks County. The archdiocese said the allegations were unrelated to that assignment, but counselors there were made available.

In 2011, a Philadelphia grand jury found that 37 active priests in the archdiocese were accused or suspected of inappropriate behavior with children.

The report led to a review of personnel files by the archdiocese. One month after the report, 21 priests were put on administrative leave. In September of that year, Kolenkiewicz was also placed on administrative leave.

No criminal charges were brought against Kolenkiewicz after reviews of the allegations by law enforcement in 2005 and 2011. He was reinstated to ministry in June 2014 based on a recommendation by an archdiocesan advisory committee on child sexual abuse.

Since being ordained in 1993, Kolenkiewicz has served in six parishes, including

Phila. Archdiocese puts priest on administrative leave

Pope Francis to visit Philadelphia, New York, D.C.: Schedule so far | PennLive.com

 

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, who serves on the committee arranging the visit to the U.S., recently revealed details of the proposed schedule. Here are a few things to know about the pope's visit:

• Pope Francis is set to arrive in Washington, D.C., on the evening of Sept. 22. He will visit the White House the following morning, celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass will be primarily for bishops, consecrated and religious men and women, seminarians and representatives from humanitarian and Catholic charitable organizations. Francis will then address a joint meeting of Congress.

• Francis arrives in New York on Sept. 24. He will address the U.N. general assembly. According to Auza, Francis is scheduled to attend an "interethnic meeting" with a diverse representation of New York residents. He is also expected to visit Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York.

• Francis arrives in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 26, for the Festival of Families. According to Catholic News Agency, it's likely the pope will visit a children's hospital or juvenile prison. He will  celebrate papal mass on Sunday on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway outside the Philadelphia Art Museum. Some 2 million people are expected to attend. It has not been announced if a ticketing system or reserved seating will be in place for the mass.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Pope Francis to visit Philadelphia, New York, D.C.: Schedule so far | PennLive.com

Planning for the Pope’s trip to Philadelphia is well underway | Crux

 

By Natalie Pompilio

Associated Press December 26, 2014

A quick look at the to-do list of a city preparing for a papal visit:

• Design and print Mass booklets, about 2 million of them in multiple languages
• Solicit volunteers, at least 7,000 but as many as 10,000. Do background checks on each one.
• Stock up on Communion wafers. Again, millions.

Pope Francis’ scheduled trip to Philadelphia is still nine months away, but planning for his first US visit began months ago. Preparing for the event, predicted to draw more than 1 million people to the city, is an exhausting, multiagency effort.

“Over the last two months, I’ve probably averaged four hours of sleep a night,” said Helen Osman, communications secretary for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “It’s a lot of coordinating and making sure everyone has everything they need, down to the minutia. The one thing you think doesn’t matter can create a domino effect and just cascade.”

The papal visit comes as part of the World Meeting of Families, a triennial event organized by the Pontifical Council for Families and to be held this year at the Pennsylvania Convention Center downtown from Sept. 22 to 27. Organizers said they plan to rely on donations for their $45 million budget, with about half of that amount raised by mid-December.

The pontiff is expected to arrive as the congress ends to take part in the main closing event, the Festival of Families. The next day, he will lead a public Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a main city thoroughfare that has hosted numerous outdoor concerts and events.

Organizers got a head start on planning before the pope officially announced his visit in November. The pope himself provided inside information when Gov. Tom Corbett attended a Vatican meeting in March, when he whispered in the governor’s ear: “I will come,” according to Susan Corbett, Pennsylvania’s first lady.

Planning for the Pope’s trip to Philadelphia is well underway | Crux

Pope Francis Plans to Visit Philadelphia in 2015 - ABC News

 

….Pope Francis plans to visit Philadelphia in 2015, the pontiff announced today. It would be his first trip to the United States as pope.

The pope made the announcement when he addressed participants at a Vatican conference on traditional marriage.

The trip, expected for late September, would coincide with the World Meeting of Families organized by the Catholic Church, a world event that will take place in Philadelphia that focuses on strengthening family bonds.

“I wish to confirm according to the wishes of the Lord, that in September of 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families,” Francis, 77, speaking in Italian, told the crowd at the Vatican. “Thank you for your prayers with which you accompany my service to the Church. Bless you from my heart

Click on the following to read the entire article:  Pope Francis Plans to Visit Philadelphia in 2015 - ABC News

Philadelphia Priest Placed on Immediate Leave Following Arrest | Daily News | NCRegister.com

 

A 55-year-old priest in Philadelphia was placed on immediate administrative leave after being arrested on child pornography charges.

According to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Father Mark Haynes was arrested by Chester County Police and “charged with two counts of dissemination of child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of criminal use of a communications device.”

“These charges are serious and disturbing,” the archdiocese said in an Oct. 24 statement.

“The Archdiocese is cooperating fully with law enforcement regarding this matter and

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Philadelphia Priest Placed on Immediate Leave Following Arrest | Daily News | NCRegister.com

Philadelphia Archbishop Chaput ‘disturbed’ by debate on gays, remarried Catholics - The Washington Post

 

NEW YORK — Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, a leading culture warrior in the U.S. hierarchy, says he was “very disturbed” by the debate over church teachings on gays and remarried Catholics at this month’s Vatican summit, saying it sent a confusing message and “confusion is of the devil.”

In a lecture delivered Monday in Manhattan, Chaput also suggested that after the rapid series of court decisions legalizing same-sex marriage in more than 30 states, Catholic priests might consider opting out of certifying civil marriages as a sign of “principled resistance.”

Chaput is expected to host Pope Francis in Philadelphia next September for a global World Meeting of Families, and his criticisms were similar to complaints by other conservatives who were upset with Francis for encouraging a freewheeling discussion among the 190 cardinals and bishops at the Vatican’s two-week Synod on the Family.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Philadelphia Archbishop Chaput ‘disturbed’ by debate on gays, remarried Catholics - The Washington Post

Nov. 18 appeal hearing for Msgr. Lynn

 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday set Nov. 18 to hear oral argument on the Philadelphia District Attorney’s petition to reinstate the child endangerment conviction of Msgr. William J. Lynn, the first Roman Catholic Church official charged in the clergy child sex-abuse scandal.

The high court will hear the appeal in Harrisburg in the court’s main courtroom in the Capitol.

At issue before the state’s highest court is the contested key legal theory underpinning the landmark 2012 prosecution of Lynn, 63, who as the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s former secretary for clergy was the official responsible for investigating and recommending punishment for priests accused of sexual and other misconduct.

In July 2012, after a 13-week trial and 12 days of deliberations, a Common Pleas Court judge sentenced Lynn to three to six years in prison. He immediately went into custody.

Click on the following for more details: Nov. 18 appeal hearing for Msgr. Lynn

Pope Confirms Hopes For 3-City US Trip In 2015

Aboard the papal plane as it made its way back to Italy from a trip to Asia, the Pope spoke briefly about visiting Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families Conference.

He said he would like to come to Philadelphia for the encounter of families, and he was also invited by the President to speak to Congress in Washington, and by the secretary general of the United Nations in New York.

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/08/18/pope-confirms-hopes-for-3-city-us-trip-in-2015/

Report: Pope Francis to visit Philadelphia

Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia next year, according to a report in the Catholic News Service.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput said the pope has accepted his invitation to attend the World Meeting of Families when he visits the United States next year.

The news serivice said the archbishop made the announcement Thursday at a conference in Fargo, North Dakota.

"Pope Francis has told me that he is coming," Chaput was quited as saying, referring to the Sept. 22-27, 2015, meeting in Philly. "The pope will be with us the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that week."

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/25/report-pope-francis-visit-philadelphia/13156257/

Judge OKs archdiocese cemetery lease deal

 

Harold Brubaker, Inquirer Staff Writer

Last updated: Tuesday, February 4, 2014, 8:06 PM
Posted: Tuesday, February 4, 2014, 3:16 PM

Philadelphia Orphans' Court Judge John W. Herron ruled Tuesday that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's plan to lease 13 cemeteries to a for-profit company was not a diversion of charitable assets, clearing the way for the deal to go forward.

Under the agreement between the archdiocese and StoneMor Partners L.P., announced in September, StoneMor will make an initial payment of $53 million, with an additional $36 million spread over the sixth through 35th years of the 60-year lease

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Judge OKs archdiocese cemetery lease deal