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« Immigration official: We learned from New Bedford raid | Today | Inadequate concrete testing could cost DOT $3.1M » March 5, 2008Bishop urged to take stronger role in priest's prosecutionPROVIDENCE -- A national group today called on The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Providence, to take a more active role in pushing for a criminal prosecution against a former priest accused of abusing children. The Rev. Phillip A. Magaldi, who is now reportedly HIV positive, served in at least three Rhode Island parishes from 1961 to the 1980s before being transferred in 1990 to parishes in Texas. Father Magaldi was removed from active priesthood in 1999 after a sexual–misconduct allegation emerged here. Two more local allegations arose in 2002 and 2007. Three other allegations have arisen in Texas. Magaldi, 71, currently lives in a private retirement center in Texas where he receives health coverage and a pension from the Diocese of Fort Worth. Church officials are in the process of having him laicized -- or defrocked. He has not been criminally charged in any of the sexual allegations made against him and has previously said he is innocent. In 1992, Father Magaldi left the ministry while serving an eight-month prison sentence for stealing more than $123,400 from St. Anthony Church in North Providence. Today the group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called on Bishop Tobin to personally visit the Rhode Island parishes where Father Magaldi worked and to urge anyone who may have been abused by him to contact law enforcement officials in the hopes of advancing a criminal case against him. Father Magaldi worked at St. Matthew’s in Cranston, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Providence and Our Lady of Grace in Johnston. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney SNAP national director David Clohessy described Bishop Tobin’s actions so far concerning Father Magaldi as "pitifully vague" and weak. He said the diocese had a short statement read in the parishes last month but that it told people to report any incidence of misconduct to the diocese rather than law-enforcement officials -- an example, Clohessy charged, of the bishop practicing secrecy while he preaches transparency in such cases. In a prepared statement released today, the diocese said it "invites anyone who wishes to report sexual misconduct by Father Magaldi or by anyone who serves the church" to contact the diocese’s Office of Education and Compliance. "Individuals are always free and encouraged to report allegations to appropriate law enforcement officials as well," the statement said. The church said it will "continue to regularly urge those victims of abuse to report such allegations so that an immediate investigation may commence and the appropriate law authorities can be notified." The church said it would continue to urge people to step forward "through paid advertisements, suggested parish bulletin inserts, the Diocesan newspaper and other electronic means." The statement did not say whether Bishop Tobin would make a personal appeal to parishioners. The diocese’s statement said even though Father Magaldi no longer works in the Diocese of Providence, "Bishop Tobin has written to Bishop Vann of the Diocese of [Fort] Worth to support his efforts to have Fr. Magaldi removed from the priesthood." Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsBill | March 5, 2008 7:31 PM link I am a life long Catholic born and brought up in the Diocese of Providence but gone now more than 30 years. Terrible things happened to the children abused by priests in the Diocese. What would Clohessy have Bishop Tobin do? Bishop Tobin from Pittsburg by way of Youngstown does not know Magaldi from a hole in the ground. He has only been in Providence a couple of years. Clohessy is now a professional victim looking to justify his existance. John Melia | March 5, 2008 9:37 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
It is not wise for a bishop's shepherding of a diocese, including shepherding these painful issues, to be guided by SNAP. With due respect to members of SNAP who are suffering and are victims, the bishop who follows SNAP'S suggestions in this area will in reality be following the course of action laid out by the cottage industry of lawyers who make their fortune suing the diocese and keeping large portions of monies paid to victims, money which probably does not ease the victim's suffering, but enriches their advocate's lifestyle fabulously. The suffering of Fr. Migaldi's victims tranformed into a rich lifestyle for a small group of litigators. How sad. SNAP, none of this will really help victims, and you know it. But it keeps your group's name in the news during this holy season. Many remember the 2002 Holy Week, and at least your effort now is not during holy week. Thank you for that.