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  New Seattle Catholic Archbishop Installed

KIRO
December 1, 2010

http://www.kirotv.com/news/25971067/detail.html


SEATTLE -- New Seattle Catholic Archbishop J. Peter Sartain is being installed Wednesday with a Mass at St. James Cathedral.

The 58-year-old, who previously served in Joliet, Ill., replaces Archbishop Alex. J. Brunett, who retired last year at the age of 75.

Protesters from the Survivor's Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) are expected to be outside.

Some say they were sexually abused by priests and are angry that two years ago, while serving as a bishop in Joliet, Illinois, Sartain ordained Alejandro Flores, who is now serving four years in prison for molesting a young boy.

Prosecutors and protesters said Sartain ordained Flores even after church staff warned that Flores was caught with pornography of young men who were likely underage.

"Someone has to stand up and say, 'stop; no more,'" said John Shuster, who plans to attend Wednesday's protest. "If the bishop had not ordained this troubled man in the first place, that child would never have been abused, and we'd have one less child whose life has been scarred and shredded by sexual abuse."

The Archdiocese of Seattle said Flores was evaluated twice and was found to be ready for the priesthood. They said once Sartain found out about the accusations, he immediately gave his support to the boy's family and reported the abuse.

The ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday with a procession into the church.

The Seattle archdiocese includes about 600,000 Catholics in Western Washington.

 
 

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