During a continuing effort to investigate past clergy sexual abuse cases, ProPublica found that the Catholic Church had sent abroad numerous priests who had been accused of sexually abusing children. Some priests even continued to work with children.
Most Abusers Sent to Mexico
Most of the alleged abusers were sent to Mexico. In a recently released article, ProPublica revealed that investigators were able to track 51 priests who had been sent abroad to various countries, such as Ireland, Nigeria, the Philippines and Mexico, after been accused of sexually abusing children. Twenty-one of these priests, all of whom were still on payroll with the Catholic Church, were sent to Mexico.
One specific case included Rev. Jose Antonio Pinal, who a reporter easily located through social media as living in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Pinal arrived at his first parish in rural Northern California in the 1980s, fresh out of seminary. He befriended the Torres family. Pinal became an occasional dinner guest, took the children to theme parks, and encouraged 15-year-old Ricardo Torres to become an altar boy. But in the priest’s quarters at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Pinal gave Ricardo alcohol, showed him porn movies and raped him. After the rape was discovered, attorneys assured the Torres family that Pinal would never be allowed around children again.
ProPublica learned that the Catholic Church attorneys lied. Pinal was instead sent to Mexico, where he served in parishes in the Dioceses of Cuernavaca ministering in indigenous villages for decades. After he was accused of sexually abusing Ricardo, Pinal exchanged letters with then-bishop of Sacramento and other religious representatives in charge of the Hispanic ministry, advising him to work for a period of 5 to 6 years in Mexico.
Last year, Ricardo filed a lawsuit against the diocese under California’s new Child Victim Act.
Call an Experienced NY Clergy Sexual Abuse Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been a victim of clergy sexual abuse, you deserve justice. For more information or to consult with an experienced NYC clergy sexual abuse attorney, please call Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at 1-646-798-1535.
