This is a difficult email to write for me. Many of you who follow my Facebook blogs know that I have written extensively on the clerical sex abuse scandals that, all too often, have been widely publicized. Most recently, I published the letter that I wrote to John Cecero SJ about his letter that identified Jesuits who, over the past 50 years, were credibly identified as being guilty of abuse.
I previously wrote of the obfuscation that the Jesuits used in attempting to shield assets with the 166 million dollar judgement that was levied against them when it was found that Jesuits from the Oregonian province were guilty of sexually abusing Alaskan villagers over a period of 25 years. Anyone who visits my page can see these posts.
Like many of you, these scandals have shaken my faith. Last week, the NY Post reported on new suit filed on behalf of a plaintiff who, during the 70’s, alleged that he was sexually abused by Father Hoefner. His full complaint is posted below. Father Hoefner….Jake….known to my family since 1953. Was on the altar when my parents were married at St. Ignatius in 1956. I was a member of the choir and an altar server for most of my grammar school days as well as my high school ones at Xavier. Not once did I see or hear of Father Hoefner doing anything, anything to any of my friends. Not once. But yet, here is another salacious allegation. I’ve shared this with the guys that I knew from my choir and altar days and I’m happy to say the consensus is all the same. But at the same time, I’ve heard stories from these same guys that all have the following in them- “Jake,,,,,no…but did I ever tell you about Father…….’
I don’t know where this will end. I will always be grateful for my Jesuit education and having been influenced by the likes of Woods, Duminuco, Reilly, Keenan, Dineen, Aracich and many others. I’m old enough and have spent so many years in corporate America to know that any organization is weakened by the secrets that it keeps. I hope that these allegations against Father Hoefner are proved false……
The Valley Viewpoint 