Pedophile Priest Disappears, by Anna Kaplan, Stockton Record [California], October 19, 2006

Pedophile Priest Disappears

By Anna Kaplan
Stockton Record [California]
October 19, 2006

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061019/NEWS01/610190341/1001/NEWS01

This audio file includes quotes from attorney Larry Drivon, who represented two of Oliver O'Grady's victims and won a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton. He called O'Grady's interviews with filmmaker Amy Berg "chilling."

A priest who molested numerous children during his 20 years in Stockton has reportedly disappeared from Ireland, where he's lived since serving prison time in California, causing concern among clergy abuse victims that he could molest again.

Oliver O'Grady, who since has been defrocked by the Catholic church, is the subject of a documentary, "Deliver Us From Evil," which opens in Sacramento on Oct. 27. In the film, he describes at length his abuse of children, and his victims share stories about how the abuse impacted their lives into adulthood. The film won the best documentary feature award at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival.

Oliver O'Grady was deported to Ireland after serving seven years in prison for molesting children. He disappeared after Irish audiences were outraged by a film detailing his crimes.

The Irish Independent newspaper reported Monday that O'Grady left Ireland and said he might be headed to Canada after Irish audiences were outraged by the documentary.

Since officials don't know where O'Grady is, victims and others fear he will strike again.

"I don't understand why someone with a criminal record of preying on children is allowed to travel freely," said Nancy Sloan, 41, a nurse in Fairfield whom O'Grady had confessed to molesting.

Oliver O'Grady was deported to Ireland after serving seven years in prison for molesting children. He disappeared after Irish audiences were outraged by a film detailing his crimes.Credit: Courtesy

Sloan is a member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The group contacted the Catholic Diocese of Stockton on Tuesday asking the diocese to do everything in its power to help find O'Grady.

"The main concern is that he's going to go where he's not known and possibly molest children again. A pedophile is someone who's going to continue to molest," said Jennifer Chapin, 33, a nurse in Oakdale and a SNAP member.

The Diocese of Stockton was unable to comment because of ongoing litigation in the O'Grady case, said diocese spokeswoman Sister Terry Davis.

O'Grady's disappearance is "a great concern. It shows his dishonesty and deceitfulness," said Robert Silva, a Stockton priest and the former president of the National Federation of Priests' Councils.

For victims, it's also a painful reminder of what they once endured.

"These people are allowed to go about their business, whereas our injuries last a lifetime," said Wayne Presley, 47, a SNAP member living in San Mateo.

O'Grady was transferred among different parishes during his 20 years in Stockton and says in the documentary that his supervisors knew of the abuse.

He pleaded guilty to molesting several minors in 1993 and served seven years in state prison before being deported to his native Ireland.

Contact reporter Anna Kaplan at (209) 546-8294 or akaplan@recordnet.com

Film opens
"Deliver Us From Evil" is coming to area theaters, according to the film's Web site. A location was not available, but the movie is set to open in Stockton on Nov. 3.
Friday, Oct. 27
Redding Tower Theatre
2508 Land Park Drive,
Sacramento
(916) 442-4700
Friday, Nov. 3
City Center Stadium 12 Theatre
109 North School Street, Lodi
(209) 339-1900

O'Grady's crimes
1976: Oliver O'Grady, at the urging of his supervisor, writes a letter apologizing to the parents of Nancy Sloan, an 11-year-old girl whom O'Grady confessed to touching inappropriately.
1977: O'Grady is transferred from Lodi to Sacred Heart Church in Turlock. There he meets the Howard family.
1982: Roger Mahony, then bishop of Stockton, transfers O'Grady to Presentation Church in Stockton.
1984: O'Grady's counselor reports to Child Protective Services that he confessed to having recent sexual relations with a child. The Stockton Police Department investigates, then drops the case after the diocese's attorney agrees to keep O'Grady away from children. O'Grady is transferred to the San Andreas parish.
1993: O'Grady is arrested, charged with and convicted of multiple counts of molestation against James and Joh Howard. He is sentenced to 14 years in prison.
2000: O'Grady is released from Mule Creek State Prison and deported to Ireland.