OHIO
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, July 10, 2014
Statement Lee Pahl, nephew of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl, who was murdered by Fr. Gerald Robinson
I don’t understand why the Catholic Church covered up Sister Margaret Ann’s murder in 1980. I don’t understand why the Catholic Church has covered up thousands of sexual abuse cases by priests and others. I don’t understand why the Catholic Church would not defrock a priest convicted of murder or why they would give him an honorary funeral.
What I do understand is that God tells us that if we don’t forgive we can’t be forgiven. Shortly after Sister Margaret Ann’s funeral, my family publicly forgave the murderer even though they didn’t know who had done it.
What I also understand is that Fr. Robinson’s real judgment has now taken place. If he did not repent for his sins we know he will be spending eternity in a worse place than the prison that has held him for the past 8 years.
(NOTE – Earlier this week, the Boston-based Voice of the Faithful wrote to Father Charles Ritter, the “administrator” or temporary head of the Toledo diocese, criticizing funeral plans for Fr. Gerald Robinson, who was convicted of murdering Sr. Margaret Ann Pahl. So too has NSAC, the National Survivors Advocate Coalition, and SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.)
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