Abuse charge against Catholic priest roils Kenya: By TOM ODULA
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
After three young men and a boy told police last June an Italian priest had been sexually molesting them for years at a shelter for poor children, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Kenya announced the church would investigate thoroughly.
NAIROBI, Kenya — After three young men and a boy told police last June an Italian priest had been sexually molesting them for years at a shelter for poor children, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Kenya announced the church would investigate thoroughly.
Ten months later, nothing has been investigated by the church, its lawyer says, and the Vatican has not been notified.
The accused priest, the Rev. Renato Kizito Sesana, continues to run the facility along with other shelters on the outskirts of Nairobi.
Kenyan police say they found no evidence and believe Sesana is innocent. Sesana himself has denied the allegations, saying some of his accusers may have been bribed or coerced as part of a plan to seize church assets worth up to $5.3 million.
It is unclear whether the abuse took place or not, but the church’s response – or lack of it – has inspired furious debate in Kenya. The case is being closely watched amid questions into the Roman Catholic Church’s ability to deal with sexual predators among its clergy around the world following reports that church authorities ignored or covered up allegations against priests in Europe and America.
“The church was not one of the places we paid much attention to when we were looking at issues of children’s abuse,” said Millie Odhiambo, a director of Cradle, a children’s rights group, and a member of parliament. “There was always this presumption that the church is safe. We are now focusing attention even on the church.”
Odhiambo is not satisfied with the probe by police, who are widely seen in Kenya as inept and corrupt, and says the church should have carried out an independent inquiry. She says a further official investigation is also needed.
Kenya’s attorney general has promised further investigations but it is unclear what, if any, action has been taken……………..
More @ http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1105ap_af_kenya_priest_abuse.html
It is time for Afrikans to review their views on the church whether catholic or protestant (protesting Rome’s corruption/infallibility in their history)
The simple and glaring truth is that this church business was never an Afrikan thing.
This church business was used to make us docile and heaven-in-waiting in outlook.
(“They dont know what life is worth”)
While our resources (starting with our idren/ancestors kidnapped) & knowledge are siphoned off.
Today we believe we will “develop one day” and if this does not work out, no worries:
We will go to a sweet white heaven after we die.Bye & bye..
This is pure nonsense.
Let us grow up and look to our past for spiritual values that will lift us Black to reality.
This notion of if you are non-christian (or muslim) equating to mean one is a hell- (another silly creation of medieval christendom & islam) bound Afrikan must be discarded.
Let the children learn abour MAAT: True Afrikan Values!
If this molesting of our children (and the slowly insidious acceptance of homosexuality in the protestant wings of this christian operation) is not evidence of a toxic influence on Afrikans, I dont know what is.
catholicism should be permanently barred from having ANY involvement with ANY developing country.
their history of human rights abuse, torture, rape and killings throughout ages is sufficient evidence that this ‘organisation’ is evil
craft any words with biblical references and convince enuf people thru clever play on words that u speak and teach for god, and u gain a free source of manpower.
payment for ur ‘workers’ is their own self worth. benefits for the ‘business’ is unlimited loyalty and blinding devotion to further the aims/program of the owner.
and the ‘workers/worshippers’ have no idea where their hard work produces full fruition