![]() He went on to clarify that "Father Szantyr hasn't taken part in any Seeds of Hope ministry for probably five years." "It was disheartening to us, we would never do anything against the church." Harrington stated. 30 which was the first time he was aware of Father Szantyr's situation. ![]() ![]() He acknowledged receiving a letter from Bishop McDonnell on Sept. John had his faculties taken away," said Harrington in an interview with the Observer. "There is no way we at the Seeds of Hope understood this Fr. But its appearance led Bishop McDonnell to write to Seeds of Hope director, Neil Harrington Jr., informing him that Father Szantyr was prohibited from celebrating sacraments in the diocese.īishop McDonnell told The Catholic Observer that Harrington called his office back and "thanked us for the information." Her group hired a private investigator to trail the priest, who made a recent court appearance in a wheelchair.įortin's videotape dates from 2000 to 2002, according to Valois, which may diminish its relevance to the debate about Father Szantyr's current medical state. Jean has played a leading role in questioning Father Szantyr's claim that he is too infirm and mentally incompetent to stand trial on child sexual abuse charges in Worcester. Valois had sent copies of the videotaped Mass to television stations in Worcester and Springfield, and to Worcester Voice, an Internet Web site run by victims advocate Mary Jean. McDonnell "immediately sent a letter to Father Szantyr stating that he remains absolutely forbidden to celebrate Mass anywhere in the Diocese of Springfield, publicly or privately, or to undertake any sacramental functions, or to minister in any shape, form or fashion to anyone subject to this diocese," a diocesan spokesman told inquiring media outlets.Ī similar letter was also sent to the suspended priest by Worcester Bishop Robert J. When diocesan officials asked for confirmation of the accusation, William Fortin, a member of the prayer group who had videotaped several Seeds of Hope activities, provided the diocese, in early September, with a video recording of Father Szantyr presiding at Mass in a private home on Garland Street in the Forest Park neighborhood. Valois and other disgruntled former members of the prayer and publishing group said that Father Szantyr had repeatedly heard confessions and occasionally celebrated Mass for the group in Springfield. Yet, at least until recently, he has continued to wear clerical clothing and refer to himself as "Father" in direct violation of the canonical restrictions against clerics who face credible charges of sexual abuse of a minor. ![]() He has been forbidden to minister in any way or to publicly present himself as a priest since being removed from ministry by the Diocese of Worcester, Mass., in 1988. Szantyr had been the group's longstanding spiritual mentor and occasional sacramental celebrant.įather Szantyr, 76, is allegedly a repeated sexual offender with victims in more than one diocese. Mary Parish in Longmeadow and a former member of the locally-based Seeds of Hope organization. In early September, the Diocese of Springfield was contacted by Vic Valois, a Springfield resident and parishioner of St. SPRINGFIELD – A recently confirmed report that a priest long forbidden to function as a cleric had been heavily involved with a local private prayer group shows the difficulties individual Catholics can run into when they support unofficial spiritual groups, say officials in several dioceses.Īnd it illustrates the difficulty church authorities have tracking the activities of a small number of priests who continue to defy orders not to exercise their ministry. Local Prayer Group Had Suspended Priest As 'Spiritual Director'īy Father Bill Pomerleau and Terence Hegarty Local Prayer Group Had Suspended Priest As 'Spiritual Director', by Father Bill Pomerleau and Terence Hegarty, iobserve,
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