Famed Jesuit priest abused boy 1,000 times around the world: lawsuit

By Donna Miller
Gruntstuff
March 31, 2020

https://gruntstuff.com/famed-jesuit-priest-abused-boy-1000-times-around-the-world-lawsuit/22356/

A globe-trotting Jesuit priest with ties to Mom Teresa sexually abused an American boy “greater than 1,000 times, in a number of states and international locations,” a lawsuit filed Monday in California state court docket in San Francisco alleges.

In the lawsuit and in interviews with The Related Press, Robert J. Goldberg, now 61, describes years of psychological management and sexual abuse he suffered from age 11 into maturity whereas working as a valet for the late Rev. Donald J. McGuire.

McGuire died in federal jail in 2017 whereas serving a 25-year sentence for molesting different boys who got here underneath his sway.

Goldberg says he remained in the Jesuit’s thrall for almost 40 years, even volunteering to testify in McGuire’s protection throughout felony trials in Wisconsin and Illinois.

The lawsuit filed Monday doesn’t at the moment identify the defendants, however Goldberg’s attorneys say the defendants will embrace the Jesuit order in the US and the order’s prime chief at the Vatican. At the time of the abuse towards Goldberg, the go well with alleges, Catholic officers knew that McGuire had been repeatedly accused of sexually abusing boys and went to nice lengths to cowl up his crimes.

In the almost 20 years since the US Catholic abuse scandal erupted, 1000’s of survivors have stepped ahead to inform painful tales. A whole bunch extra revealed their abuse in lawsuits earlier this 12 months, when the state of New York opened a one-year window that enables survivors to file little one intercourse abuse lawsuits with out regard to the statute of limitations. And a whole lot extra, like Goldberg, are anticipated to make the most of the same window that opens Jan. 1 in California.

However many victims nonetheless undergo in silence, typically taking a long time to step ahead, in the event that they ever do. Advocates say that abusive monks, as representatives of God, exert highly effective management over the kids they aim, particularly when they’re serving to the kids and their households overcome poverty or different obstacles.

Goldberg was 11 when he met McGuire in 1970, in the future when he and his sister have been sitting on a curb exterior a Chicago tavern, ready for his or her mom to come back out.

McGuire gave the household a experience dwelling and ingratiated himself with Goldberg’s mom, persuading her that her son can be higher off dwelling underneath his supervision, based on the lawsuit.

Throughout this time, the go well with says, Goldberg would spend evenings at McGuire’s dwelling quarters or would return to the household’s dwelling with McGuire, who would sleep with him in his mattress. In the meantime, Goldberg’s mom got here to depend on the funds that McGuire paid Goldberg for working as his assistant, $300 to $500 every week.

“He was very controlling. I had no say by any means,” Goldberg advised the AP. “No matter he advised my mom he wished me to do, I needed to do it.”

Goldberg and his household adopted alongside in 1976 when McGuire moved to California to take a educating job at the College of San Francisco, a Jesuit college, and promote a roving ministry during which he presided over non secular retreats for rich Catholics, gathering massive donations alongside the means.

It was throughout this time that McGuire solid ties with the future saint, Mom Teresa, turning into her non secular adviser whereas vetting nuns searching for to hitch the non secular order she based, the Missionaries of Charity.

Goldberg stated his emotions about McGuire started to vary after listening to victims testify at his felony trial in Chicago, the place Goldberg was scheduled to testify on McGuire’s behalf.

He wasn’t referred to as to the stand to testify however got here away feeling, he stated, that McGuire had “no regret” for what he’d completed to Goldberg and different victims.

Considerations about McGuire began way back to the early 1960s, when he was dwelling in Europe and church officers in Germany and Austria despatched alarming experiences about his relations with younger boys.

The complaints continued however he remained a priest in good standing for 40 years. In 1994, Mom Teresa wrote a letter of assist to the Jesuit order to specific her “confidence and belief” in McGuire. She stated she believed allegations towards McGuire have been unfaithful.

McGuire wasn’t faraway from energetic ministry till 2007. He was defrocked in 2008.

Officers in the Jesuits’ Midwest Province couldn’t be reached for touch upon Monday’s lawsuit, which was filed by a nationwide legislation agency with experience in clergy abuse litigation, Jeff Anderson & Associates.

In 2012, the Chicago Jesuit official who obtained Mom Teresa’s letter, the Rev. Bradley M. Schaeffer, issued an announcement apologizing for failing to rein McGuire in. “I deeply remorse that my actions weren’t sufficient to forestall him from partaking in these horrific crimes,’’ he stated.

Final 12 months, when the Midwest Jesuits launched an inventory naming 65 accused Jesuits, together with McGuire, Provincial Brian G. Paulson issued the same apology. “We’re painfully conscious that in earlier a long time, some Midwest Jesuits weren’t faraway from ministry rapidly sufficient,” he stated. “We’re deeply sorrowful.”