TV News LIES

Friday, Jul 04th

Last update06:56:44 AM GMT

You are here News Of Special Interest Franciscan boarding school files tell abuse story

Franciscan boarding school files tell abuse story

E-mail Print PDF

Robert Van HandelRobert Van Handel was a 15-year-old seminarian at St. Anthony's, a prestigious Franciscan boarding school, when, he said, a priest slipped into the infirmary where he was recovering from a fever and began to molest him. The priest told him it would help draw the fever out.

More than a decade later, Van Handel himself was molesting children while working as a Franciscan priest at the same Santa Barbara boarding school. Van Handel formed a boys' choir for local children and chose his victims from among its ranks for eight years.

The sexual abuse at St. Anthony's, including Van Handel's own account of his crimes, is included in more than 4,000 pages from the confidential files of nine Franciscan religious brothers who were accused of abuse. The internal files, coupled with an additional 4,000 pages of sworn testimony obtained by The Associated Press, are the largest release of a religious order's files to date and paint one of the fullest pictures yet of a pervasive culture of abuse that affected generations of students at the seminary dedicated to training future Franciscans.

The religious order settled for $28 million in 2006 with plaintiffs who alleged abuse by the nine Franciscans, but Van Handel and other defendants fought the release of their private files for six years in a legal battle that reached the California Supreme Court.

More...


Most Recent Related Stories...


Trump allies caught off guard by Pentagon’s Ukraine weapons freeze

HegsethThe Pentagon’s decision to halt some weapons shipments to Ukraine blindsided even people who are usually...

Girl, 10, Reportedly Forced To Travel Out Of State For Abortion

pro roeA 10-year-old girl just over six weeks pregnant had to travel to Indiana to obtain an...

Madre Fire explodes in size, becoming California's largest wildfire this year

Madre fireA fast-moving wildfire in central California became the largest in the state this year after exploding...

Live updates on Supreme Court decisions: Latest news, reaction to bombshell rulings

SC birthright decisionThe Supreme Court voted to lift temporary blocks on President Donald Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship...
 
America's # 1 Enemy
Tee Shirt
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
TVNL Tee Shirt
 
TVNL TOTE BAG
Conserve our Planet
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
Get your 9/11 & Media
Deception Dollars
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
The Loaded Deck
The First & the Best!
The Media & Bush Admin Exposed!