More Accusations Emerge Against Convicted Sex Offender Priest

WBBM NewsRadio - Chicago
October 23, 2007

Bernie Tafoya and John Cody Reporting

Two young men from Arizona have filed a sexual abuse lawsuit charging a Jesuit priest molested them when they were children, and charging the Jesuit order knew he'd molested other boys and never did anything about it.

One of the attorneys filing the suit is a nephew of the priest named as defendant.

California attorney Kevin McGuire says he had no idea his uncle, Father Donald J. McGuire was molesting boys, but says he's glad he has the opportunity to seek redress.

Father McGuire currently lives in Oak Lawn where he's appealing a 7 year sentence for molesting two Wisconsin boys.

An Arizona man named Jim, father of the two plaintiffs: John Does 117 and 118 says his wife converted to Catholicism largely due to the influence of Father McGuire who's described as extremely charismatic.

He said they home schooled and tried to raise their boys in a moral atmosphere, away from drugs and sex and riff-raff influences of the world.

According to Barbara Blaine of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, Fr. Donald McGuire’s newest admitted alleged victims came from a family McGuire had befriended in Arizona and Chicago.

Blaine says the 19 and 28 year old brothers never reported anything about the alleged sex abuse until four weeks ago. Blaine says the young men's father made a comment about how he thought Fr. McGuire, a family friend, was not guilty of allegations that had been made against him elsewhere, and the oldest told his dad, "I wouldn't be too sure about that.". That led to questions from the dad and the 28-year old, a decorated former Marine, admitted he had been molested by Fr. McGuire starting when he was eight or nine years old.

The father later asked his 19-year old son and the son, too, admitted he had been abused by the priest.

Fr. Donald McGuire is 77-years old and has already been convicted of molesting two boys in Wisconsin. He out on bond awaiting the start of his seven-year prison sentence.

Blaine, of SNAP, criticizes the Jesuit religious order for allowing the priest to continue to be a priest even after allegations going back to the 1960s.

She also criticizes Jesuit leaders for not saying whether they've taken steps to laicize (lay-ih-size) Fr. McGuire, in other words, have the Catholic Church officially take away his ability to act in any way as a priest.


http://www.wbbm780.com/New-Accusations-Emerge-Against-Convicted-Priest/1123105