CHRISTIAN PRIEST RAPES CHILD THEN JUMPS OFF A BALCONY
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By Kate Thayer
The Chronicle
Friday, January 8, 2010
St. Charles - A Joliet priest that appeared to attempt suicide by
jumping off a church balcony is accused of sexually abusing a St.
Charles child.
The Rev. Alejandro Flores, 37, on Wednesday, jumped off the 20-foot
choir balcony St. Mary's Carmelite Church in Joliet, which is no
longer in use, police said.
Two days earlier, St. Charles police received reports that Flores
sexually abused a St. Charles child and referred the information to
the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, according to St. Charles
police spokesman Paul McCurtain.
No charges have been filed and Flores has not been arrested. He
reportedly remains hospitalized, but his condition was unclear
Friday.
State's Attorney John Barsanti said his office is investigating
Flores, but could not offer additional comment.
Flores, who is a native of Bolivia, was ordained in June and was the
parochial vicar of Holy Family Parish in Shorewood. Prior to that he
served as a deacon at St. Elizabeth Seton in Naperville.
He was placed on administrative leave this week after a St. Charles
family alleged that he had abused their 13-year-old son, according to
a statement from Diocese of Joliet Bishop J. Peter Sartain. The boy
and his family were not parishioners of the Shorewood church, he
said.
As part of that leave, Sartain removed Flores' rights to perform
sacraments or dress as a priest, and alerted the Illinois Department
of Children and Family Services.
On Wednesday morning, church officials filed a missing person report
with Joliet police when they couldn't find Flores, according to a
diocese spokesman.
Tips from other priests led officials to St. Mary's, where they found
Flores.
Diocese officials say they are cooperating with the investigation and
that no other allegations of abuse involving the priest had surfaced.
Sartain said he was "saddened beyond words" about the allegations and
what he deemed an attempted suicide.
"I have been deeply grieved for the young boy whose family reported
the abuse and for the entire family, and my prayers for them have not
ceased," Sartain said in a statement. "This added tragedy compounds
what was already a great sorrow and I ask you to join me in fervent
prayer."
- with wire reports
More at:
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2010/01/08/22350732/index.xml
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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