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  Priest "Mad As Hell" over Church Moves

My Fox Philly
April 20, 2011

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/priest-%27mad-as-hell%27-over-church-moves-042011

A priest in the Philadelphia Archdiocese feels duped and "angry as hell" that he helped reassign some priests and wasn't told they had a prior history of possible sexual abuse.

Monsignor John Conway was not available for an interview on Wednesday when we stopped by his parish office at Mary, Mother Of The Redeemer Church in North Wales, Pa.

But, letter Conway wrote to Cardinal Justin Rigali two weeks ago has become public and it reveals why the monsignor is so mad.

"The fact that I was asked to help in the placement of priests into new assignments without being informed of their history of sexual abuse makes me "angry as hell" ! I feel that I was duped," Conway wrote to Rigali.

Conway is referring to his time as Regional Vicar for South Philadelphia.

In former District Attorney Lynn Abraham's 2005 grand jury report, Conway's name often appeared alongside that of Monsignor William Lynn.

Lynn was charged in February with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly reassigning priests but not telling anyone of complaints made against those priests.

Conway claims he ---and other regional vicars---helped in those re-assignments but were kept in the dark about such crimes or allegations.

Conway held a meeting last month with parishioners.

Sue Hanley was at that meeting when the monsignor addressed the concerns around his name in the 2005 grand jury report.

"I walked out of the meeting still confused, but also open to what he said and seeing his reaction, umm, it seemed very heartfelt and sincere," Hanley said.

Other parishioners like Laina Spinelli are happy that her pastor sent the letter.

"Really proud that monsignor spoke up and asked for some answers. Because, I think as Catholics that's what were asking for. Somebody needs to be prosecuted. Somebody needs to go to jail. Then we can move on," she told Fox 29.

Conway's name did not appear in the most recent grand jury report issued by current Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.

 
 

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