Catholic Church sexual abusers moved abroad after being credibly accused of sexually abusing children

As investigations continue into past clergy sexual abuses, Propublica found that many of the priests that had been accused of abusing children were sent abroad by the Catholic Church and some continue to work with children.

Many abusers were sent to Mexico

In an article released Today, Propublica reveals that investigators were able to track 51 priests who had been accused of sexually abusing children and who were then kept on the church payroll but sent abroad in various countries such as Ireland, Nigeria, the Philippines and Mexico (21 of them were sent there).  One of them was Rev.Jose Antonio Pinal. Back in the 80ies Pinal was a young Mexican priest sent to the Parish of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gridley, a small city in rural California. Pinal developed a friendship with a family of Mexican immigrants and helped them with some administrative tasks such as filling an application for food stamps. Their son Ricardo who was 15 at the time was encouraged to become an altar boy. When Ricardo went to the Parish, Pinal gave him alcohol, showed him porn movies and raped him. After the rape was discovered, lawyers assured Ricardo’s family that Pinal would never been allowed around children again.

Pro Publica found out that the lawyers representing the catholic church lied. Pinal was sent to Mexico and served for decades in parishes in the Dioceses of Cuernavaca ministering in indigenous villages in and around the small town of Tepoztlan.

After he was accused of sexually abusing Ricardo, Pinal exchanged friendly letters with Francis Quinn, the then-bishop of Sacramento and other religious representatives in charge of the Hispanic ministry. In a letter, the Bishop advised him to work for a 5 to 6 year period in Mexico and signed the letter “con carino” (with affection).  Last year, Ricardo, filed a lawsuit against the diocese under California’s new Child Victim Act.

Read the complete ProPublica Investigation here