Investigation in Knoxville Bishop Reveals Important Details About Abuse Network.

You may recall this post about Bishop Rick Stika of Knoxville. It re-visited some of the bizarreness of his episcopacy, but, most importantly, it revealed the details of a homosexual predatory seminarian who was protected and promoted by Stika.

Now, Christine Niles of Church Militant has released this outstanding, professional and detailed investigation of the situation in Knoxville. The first part focuses on Stika's bizarre relationship with a seminarian parachuted into the diocese from Poland.

As previously noted, this is really important because it is not an isolated incident, it is a template for how abusers are recruited, protected and promoted within the Catholic Church. We must join together, learn how to recognise this and demand that it stops. In my last post on this I said:

I have heard of cases like this myself, where a man in seminary moves around dioceses following instances of sexual misconduct, until he finds a place that will overlook his inclinations out of complicity, ignorance or desperation.

He then embeds himself and entangles a member of the local clergy in some nefarious, compromising behaviour that will allow him to manipulate them and wheedle his way into a position of power, because these men always seem to be overtly interested in power rather than what they should be interested in: service.

A big part of the promotion and recruitment of abusers we see works like this: a senior cleric takes you under his wing in seminary. He makes advances to you. If you go along with the abuse and keep your mouth shut - you can be trusted. This is the way a cycle of abuse and promotion begins.

Does this sound familiar to you? Have you seen or heard of similar situations? Be aware and be on your guard because this is precisely the way we end up with abusers in the Church. You will note from Christine's investigation that there is always a Satanic element; a twisting of theology to justify or cajole an individual into gay sex acts.

Part II of the story is in many ways more important. It shows the connections in the diocese with Poland and the moving round of gay men for sex. Cardinal Rigali, who lives with Stika, and has his own history of covering up abuse and the involvement of disgraced Polish Vatican Cardinal Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz.

It also has important details about Stika & Rigali's history as well as the tell-tale signs of Stika's egotism and strange behaviour.

I have heard many stories that confirm this pattern of abuse. The Pope seems to be complicit in this network. His links to the St Gallen Mafia, disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and his proteges combined with his promotion and protection of Grassi, Zanchetta, etc makes it difficult to understand how he could not be part of this process.

We have to stand against it. We tend to want to see the best in our priests and bishops and that is right, the vast majority are hard working, dedicated and genuine. But they are let down by these predators who should never be allowed so much power and influence.

We have to promote a culture of zero tolerance where priests and bishops who know this is going on, but keep quiet about it out of fear, have confidence in speaking out. It is an unbelievable degree of hypocrisy which mocks the sacred Body of Christ and it cannot be tolerated by the faithful.