MASCOUTAH (IL)
Belleville News-Democrat
March 1, 2018
By Kaley Johnson
Almost two months after a Mascoutah priest was accused of possessing child pornography and drugs, parents and church members say they’re frustrated they haven’t received answers from the Belleville Catholic Diocese.
Specifically, they want to know whether any local children were abused — and to what extent the diocese knew about the Rev. Gerald Hechenberger’s troubled past when they assigned him to Mascoutah.
The community also asks why the diocese won’t provide answers.
“I’m going to raise some difficult points which I’m certain I’ll be chastised for within this small community,” former Holy Childhood member Kevin Kraljev said. “Hechenberger is a meth addict busted with 16 counts regarding child pornography — and he worked about 200 feet away from Holy Childhood School where my sons attended years ago.”
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