In a case that has already put a former official of the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia in prison for covering up child s*xual abuse, a city jury Wednesday returned guilty verdicts against a priest and former parochial schoolteacher for the s*xual assault of a 10-year-old Northeast altar boy.
Prosecutors hailed the verdict as a victory for victims of child s*xual abuse.
The Common Pleas Court jury deliberated about 20 hours since getting the case Friday afternoon before returning the verdicts today in the trial of the Rev. Charles Engelhardt and Bernard Shero.
Engelhardt, 66, a priest for more than four decades, was found guilty of four of the five charges against him: child endangerment, corruption of a minor, indecent assault and criminal conspiracy.
The jury, however, said it was deadlocked on a count of involuntary deviate s*xual intercourse.
Shero, 49, a former elementary English teacher in the parochial schools, was found guilty of all five charges against him: r*pe of a child, involuntary deviate s*xual intercourse, child endangerment, corruption of a minor and indecent assault.
Both men reacted stoically to the verdicts, which were announced at 3:30 p.m. before a courtroom packed with relatives of both men and the mother and father of the victim.
Defense attorneys Michael McGovern, for Engelhardt, and Burton A. Rose, for Shero, seemed stunned by the verdicts – and when Judge Ellen Ceisler ordered both men immediately taken into custody.
McGovern embraced Engelhardt and clapped him on the back before the priest was led from the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies.
Afterward, McGovern said that “I’ve been present for trial jury verdicts for 37 years now and this is the most disappointing, shocking verdict I’ve ever experienced.”
“I still believe that Father Engelhardt is innocent of all charges 100 percent,” McGovern said.
Rose told reporters that he also was convinced of Shero’s innocence, calling Shero a “soft-spoken man with a lot of integrity.”
Ceisler set sentencing for April 18. Assistant District Attorney Mark Cipolletti, who prosecuted the case with Evangelia Manos, said Shero faces up to 57 years on prison and Engelhardt up to 37 years.
Both defense lawyers said they will appeal.
In a news conference after the verdict, District Attorney Seth Williams praised the verdict and noted that one out of four women and one out six men under the age of 18 have been sexually abused.
“The message for me is that we have to listen to children,” Williams added.
Engelhardt and Shero were charged in February 2011 with serial r*pe of the boy while he was in the fifth and sixth grades in the St. Jerome’s parish school. [Philly]

Source - http://www.informationng.com/2013/01/priest-found-guilty-of-molesting-10-year-old-altar-boy.html

Too many things happens this day. Dear lord help us to help our self.

Hmmm!

Why not let them get married, the ones who wishes to do so i mean?

Must such (celibacy) be compulsory on those wishing to be a priest?

Does God so detest marriage or married people that he will chose only the unmarried for such a Job?

What do you expect when grown MEN and WOMEN are falsely told that they are forbidden to marry if they want to join the priesthood or nun sect.

The catholic church has done immense damage to millions of souls , through false doctrine, crusades , fraud and all manner of heresy.

The reason why the catholic church puts tradition over the bible is because the bible rebukes their heresies.

"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3

truthislight: Hmmm!
Why not let them get married, the ones who wishes to do so i mean?
Must such (celibacy) be compulsory on those wishing to be a priest?
Does God so detest marriage or married people that he will chose only the unmarried for such a Job?

take am easy and keep quite when u don't know something.
1. Neither myself nor u were there wen d incident happened or didnt happen, so u cant say u know it happened. For all i care d priest might be innocent and was framed to get d millions as settlement OR he may has been a really bad guy, he assulted some kids and got every bit of what he deserved.
My point is neither u nor i know dis 4 a fact, God, d priest and d 'allegdedly assulted' knows what happened or didnt happen.
2. Many protestants even married pastor have been accused and found guilty of similar crimes, so if u want to fault celibacy 4 d shameful situation then u must explain y d same act is found among married protestant pastors.
3. And most importantly d catholic church is actually 23 autonomous churches/rites and among d 23 churches/rites only d latin rite aka d roman catholic church has celibate priests, so if u wanted to be a married priest in d catholic church all u need is to go to any of d 22 other rites. So as far as it goes celibacy in d catholic church is largely optional.
My point is d priest who are celebate knew what they were geting into, they chose dat style of life it wasnt heap on them. The alternative was before dem yet they chose to live a life where all they had is the people they minister to. So ur above point of celibate if way off.

Now what is this rant about?

frosbel: What do you expect when grown MEN and WOMEN are falsely told that they are forbidden to marry if they want to join the priesthood or nun sect.

this is a joke. Where did u get this from. Only nuns dont marry at all, only them have compulsory celebacy like d virgins paul take about in d NT. And it is for those for whom it is meant. No one is forced into it.

The catholic church has done immense damage to millions of souls , through false doctrine, crusades , fraud and all manner of heresy.

mtchew, at least learn to improve d line u use, u have been shouting this since d day a met u and frankly d line is getting old.

The reason why the catholic church puts tradition over the bible is because the bible rebukes their heresies.

hahaha, please provide writting from d catholic church dat preaches puting tradition over scripture! If u cant. Shame on u

"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3

and who forbade marriage?
i want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the lord, how to please the lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife and his interest divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affair, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promot good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the lord 1 cor7:32-35. That is what my bible says as regard married and unmarried men in regards to devotion to the lord, that is why celebacy is encouraged in the catholic church and in other cases it is the norm. Because we do as d bible say and take its advise seriously. But no one is forced into marriage or celebacy and no is told God hates a married person becos he is married. An unmarried person is prefered becos he will have undivided attention to d lord, dat is wat my bible says.

frosbel: What do you expect when grown MEN and WOMEN are falsely told that they are forbidden to marry if they want to join the priesthood or nun sect.

The catholic church has done immense damage to millions of souls , through false doctrine, crusades , fraud and all manner of heresy.

The reason why the catholic church puts tradition over the bible is because the bible rebukes their heresies.

"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3

^^^

truthfully said.

Ubenedictus: take am easy and keep quite when u don't know something.
1. Neither myself nor u were there wen d incident happened or didnt happen, so u cant say u know it happened. For all i care d priest might be innocent and was framed to get d millions as settlement OR he may has been a really bad guy, he assulted some kids and got every bit of what he deserved.
My point is neither u nor i know dis 4 a fact, God, d priest and d 'allegdedly assulted' knows what happened or didnt happen.
2. Many protestants even married pastor have been accused and found guilty of similar crimes, so if u want to fault celibacy 4 d shameful situation then u must explain y d same act is found among married protestant pastors.
3. And most importantly d catholic church is actually 23 autonomous churches/rites and among d 23 churches/rites only d latin rite aka d roman catholic church has celibate priests, so if u wanted to be a married priest in d catholic church all u need is to go to any of d 22 other rites. So as far as it goes celibacy in d catholic church is largely optional.
My point is d priest who are celebate knew what they were geting into, they chose dat style of life it wasnt heap on them. The alternative was before dem yet they chose to live a life where all they had is the people they minister to. So ur above point of celibate if way off.

story!

"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3

deal with that ^^^ and not me.

Is the catholic church not following what the word of God said or they have another word of God?

"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3[/quote]
............

Its you against that ^^^. QED.

Ubenedictus:

But no one is forced into celebacy and no is told God hates a married person becos he is married.

^^^

Good if that ^^^ is the truth.

So, can your priest decide to get marie now if they want to and remain in your priest hood still?

It is either you are a bold face liar here or you are telling the truth here.

If they dont have that option, then they are being conditioned:


"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3
................

See the full passage:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of Demons; Speaking lies in hypocrisy:
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; FORBIDDING TO MARRY, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3

^^^ What about cor7:32-35?

Paschal007: ^^^ What about cor7:32-35?

cor. Has first and second, which do you mean?

Well, if you mean 1cor. 7:32-35.

Does tha 1cor. Reads like "forbidden to marry"?

Dis is ur problem jumping up and down and accusing tom, dick and harry.

truthislight:
story!
"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3
deal with that ^^^ and not me.
Is the catholic church not following what the word of God said or they have another word of God?
"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3
............
Its you against that ^^^. QED.

i pasted 1 cor 7, and explained how it support d catholic position but u simply give 'a dog a bad name so u can hang it'. It is a shameful behaviour. 22 rites/churches of d catholic church have married priest and d church advocate matrimony so u cant go jumping dat "they forbid marriage" that is lame, u just want sumtin to insult in anyway posible.

truthislight:
^^^
Good if that ^^^ is the truth.
So, can your priest decide to get marie now if they want to and remain in your priest hood still?
It is either you are a bold face liar here or you are telling the truth here.
If they dont have that option, then they are being conditioned:
"They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:3
................
See the full passage:
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of Demons; Speaking lies in hypocrisy:
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; FORBIDDING TO MARRY, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3

if u were open minded enuf to read, just read, my earlier response, u would have noticed i mentioned married priest but ur voluntary blindness prevented u from seeing it and went on to make d silly comment above.
Complete 22 rites have married priesthood 22 out of 23rites, have married priesthood. No one, i repeat no one is forbiden from marriage, u make a choice either to be married or celebate. And as 1 cor 7:32-35 shows it is very licit to chose not to be married in other to be devoted to d lord. Infact d passage shows d advantage of d celebate compare to a married man, dat is why celebacy is encouraged and in some cases d norm in d priesthood.
Celebacy is totally consistent with biblical revelation.

truthislight:

cor. Has first and second, which do you mean?

Well, if you mean 1cor. 7:32-35.

Does tha 1cor. Reads like "forbidden to marry"?

dis is wat i call play possum, i clearly quoted 1 cor 7 and u paid a blind eye, Now u are claiming u dont know if he is refering to 1cor or 2cor.

Ubenedictus: if u were open minded enuf to read, just read, my earlier response, u would have noticed i mentioned married priest but ur voluntary blindness prevented u from seeing it and went on to make d silly comment above.
Complete 22 rites have married priesthood 22 out of 23rites, have married priesthood. No one, i repeat no one is forbiden from marriage, u make a choice either to be married or celebate. And as 1 cor 7:32-35 shows it is very licit to chose not to be married in other to be devoted to d lord. Infact d passage shows d advantage of d celebate compare to a married man, dat is why celebacy is encouraged and in some cases d norm in d priesthood.
Celebacy is totally consistent with biblical revelation.

can you name the 22 rites/parishes, because we dont what you are talking about.

Dont just sale a blanket 22 rites "catholic" to us because you have been shown what the bible stand is.

Because of celibacy issues here on NL, anglican church will turn to Roman catholic church, so that you can cover the truth with mud.

Please name the 22 Roman catholic rites in black and white here and let us see how Roman catholic church permits their priest to marry and remain as priest in RCC.

Thanks and waiting.

truthislight:
can you name the 22 rites/parishes, because we dont what you are talking about.
Dont just sale a blanket 22 rites "catholic" to us because you have been shown what the bible stand is.
Because of celibacy issues here on NL, anglican church will turn to Roman catholic church, so that you can cover the truth with mud.
Please name the 22 Roman catholic rites in black and white here and let us see how Roman catholic church permits their priest to marry and remain as priest in RCC.
Thanks and waiting.

i didnt say parish, i said rites/churches, on will be d antiochene catholic church, there are others, google and wiki are ur friends.

Ubenedictus: i didnt say parish, i said rites/churches, on will be d antiochene catholic church, there are others, google and wiki are ur friends.

my friend, i dont like this going in circles.

You should stand and ready to teach the truth, please, show us how catholic church allows her priest to marry and remain as priest still.

See this:

Ubenedictus: if u were open minded enuf to read, just read, my earlier response, u would have noticed i mentioned married priest but ur voluntary blindness prevented u from seeing it and went on to make d silly comment above.
Complete 22 rites have married priesthood 22 out of 23rites, have married priesthood. No one, i repeat no one is forbiden from marriage, u make a choice either to be married or celebate. And as 1 cor 7:32-35 shows it is very licit to chose not to be married in other to be devoted to d lord. Infact d passage shows d advantage of d celebate compare to a married man, dat is why celebacy is encouraged and in some cases d norm in d priesthood.
Celebacy is totally consistent with biblical revelation.

can you name the 22 rites/parishes, because we dont what you are talking about.

Dont just sale a blanket 22 rites "catholic" to us because you have been shown what the bible stand is.

Because of celibacy issues here on NL, anglican church will turn to Roman catholic church, so that you can cover the truth with mud.

Please name the 22 Roman catholic rites in black and white here and let us see how Roman catholic church permits their priest to marry and remain as priest in RCC.

Just name whatever it is and forget my errors, just take it that you are teaching me.

Thanks, am waiting.