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  Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse Leaflet Pacoima Church

By Marianne Love
The San Fernando Valley Sun
August 2, 2007

http://sanfernandosun.com/sanfernsun/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1514&Itemid=2

Pacoima (CA) — Two adult survivors of sexual abuse by separate priests were met by angry parishioners after Mass at Guardian Angel Parish in Pacoima as they handed out leaflets with information about former priest, George Miller, who has been criminally charge with child sexual abuse between 1988 and 1991, while he worked at the church.

A man dressed in an altar server frock and waving a thurible of burning incense told Mary Grant, Western Regional Director of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests - a group of men and women sexually abused by clergy and who belong to a confidential support group) that she had to leave.

But Grant, who has been with SNAP for more than a decade, stood her ground and continued to hand out fliers.

The man, who others called James, kept repeating, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners," over and over as Grant approached churchgoers on their way out of the building and others going inside.

"See this is how church officials try to intimidate people," said Grant as she continued to hand out fliers and the man continued to pray and wave incense at her until he was pulled away by church members.

A member of Guardian Angel Parish in Pacoima on Sunday confronted Mary Grant, (l) Western Regional Director of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests) as she handed out information about former priest George Miller who was arrested last month on charges of child sexual abuse.

Miller, 69, is being held in lieu of $600,000 bail and charged with three felony counts of lewd acts on a child and three counts of sodomy with a person under 14. His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 7. He was arrested July 24 at his home in Oxnard where

Miller and at least six other known, proven or credibly accused molesting priests work at Santa Clara Catholic Church in Oxnard. Miller has been accused of sexually assaulting a boy from Guardian Angel for three years. Prosecutors said he met the boy when he was five and allegedly molested him before he turned 14, during overnight trips.

Some churchgoers on Sunday accepted the fliers, looked them over and put them in their purses or pockets.

But others definitely wadded them into a ball or ripped them into pieces before tossing them in the trashcan.

An older man, who refused to answer questions, was seen taking the yellow pieces of paper from churchgoers' hands before they entered the building. Later, an older woman dressed in black with a lace veil covering her head exited the church with torn pieces of yellow paper before heading to the trashcan.

A woman who appeared to be in her twenties and who refused to give her name became angry with Grant and tried to pulled the fliers from Grant's hands. She said she thought the survivors were disrespecting the church.

"The church has nothing to do with what's going on," she said acknowledging she knew about the charges against Miller.

Another man who appeared to be in his 30s attended Mass with his wife and infant, but lingered out front for a while taking photos on his cellular phone. He said he didn't think it was right that the media causes a scene when priests are accused, but aren't there when charges are dropped.

When asked for an example or his feelings about priests abusing children, he would only launch into a rote response and his perceptions against the media and false accusations.

"What I see is unfair. I don't see the media exposing the Protestants who rate of abuse is higher, twice the amount than Catholic priests," he said.

Grant, accompanied by fellow SNAP member Nick Jordan, who was abused 30 years ago by a San Diego priest, said they were there to urge people not to be complacent and come forward and report to police if they experience, witness or suspect abuse or a cover up of abuse by church officials and not to go to church officials who cover up crimes and who the Los Angeles District Attorney's office is actively investigating.

"Some one might say that the abuse happened five or 10 years ago, but anyone who has information, no matter how many years ago it happened, must come forward," Grant said. "It's crucial and the only way to end abuse and cover up in the church.

"Just because George Miller has been arrested doesn't mean he'll be convicted. Sadly, and it's still true today, Catholic priests have the best attorneys money can buy, and because they'll find a technicality, it's crucial and will help keep this dangerous man behind bar," said Grant who was molested at 14 years old. "We didn't want to be here today. If church officials would only do their job."

Members of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests) posted signs on a car parked in front of Guardian Angel Parish in Pacoima on Sunday where former priest George Miller allegedly molested a five-year-old boy between 1988 and 1991.

Miller, as previously reported in the Los Angeles Times, was originally charged in 2002 with child molestation involving three boys including the current victim's older brother in the 1970s and 1980s at the Pacoima church. That case was dropped when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a California law extending the statue of limitations on sex crimes was unconstitutional.

Miller, who has been defrocked, faces up to 18 years in prison if convicted. He began at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Santa Clarita in 1964 and transferred to San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura and St. Philomena in Carson, according to church records.

Four people who accused Miller of molesting them were among more than 500 who joined in a record $660-million settlement earlier this month between the Los Angeles Archdiocese and parishioners who contended church officials had failed to shield them from pedophile priests.

Confidential church files of Miller and other priests accused of child sexual molestation were part of a nearly five-year court battle by Cardinal Roger M.

Mahony who fought to keep them private saying it would violate priest-bishop communications and priests' privacy rights. Mahony yielded after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006 declined to hear his final appeal. He turned over files on Miller and former priest Michael Baker who also faces criminal charges.

Miller, who was placed on sick leave in 1996, has denied any wrong doing in the 1977 and 1989 complaints. He has never returned to the ministry and was reduced to lay status by the pope on May 25, 2005, at Mahony's request.

Jordan, 45, knows all to well about sexual abuse by a priest. His abuse happened 30 years ago when he was 15 years old and to talk about it today brings tears to his eye. The emotion of the year's long abuse bubbles just under the surface.

"I thought I must have done something wrong. I can't tell my parents. I was at an all-boy's high school. I didn't want to embarrassed my church," Jordan said. "He told me, 'No one will believe you over a priest.' My brothers started to worked there and I swore if he touch them I was going to go to the bishop," Jordan said tearfully.

In 2002 when the Boston Archdiocese scandal broke, Jordan contacted the San Diego Archdiocese where he worked and first encountered former priest, Franklyn Becker, at St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church.

Jordan said his job was to bring Becker his dinner.

"My hands were holding the tray when he'd reach into my shorts. He was naked. He made me perform oral copulation on him. He'd performed oral copulation on me. He would masturbate himself and me; we would masturbate each other. I was scared to come forward," Jordan said, adding that he knew at 15 years old he was homosexual. "I liked guys but not him."

Jordan said he was repeatedly raped inside and outside of the rectory by Becker and has come to learn that there were boys before and have him who were also molested.

Jordan, who attended Mass daily, says he has been considering a late-in-life priestly vocation.

His faith was not destroyed in the Catholic Church like so many others who were abused by priests.

Becker was given $10,000 to go away and the Milwaukee Archdiocese, where Becker was working at the time, settled handsomely with Jordan, he said, adding that no criminal charges were brought against Becker because of the statue of limitations.

He said that until 2004, Becker continued to celebrate Mass.

SNAP member including Grant urges anyone with information about an alleged abuse to demand an open listening session with Mahony and police and to urge pastors to post the names, photos and assignment histories of all alleged predators, including volunteers and employees who worked at their church on the parish website.

"Every time I come out here it's difficult. It's a constant reminder of the abuse," Grant said, adding that her heart was pounding in her chest. "When parishioners treat us as the enemy, it reconfirms we have to continue to reach out."

Staff Reporter Marianne Love can be reached at (818) 365- 3111, Ext. 152. Or, by e-mailing mlove@sanfernandosun.com

 
 

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