A Sad Day in the Catholic Community

Although this blog is about my girls...today i'm going to share a story about the catholic parish that i grew up in...my girls were also baptized here. I probably shouldn't even be putting this on my blog..but i figured that i should share it anyway. I'm very sad about this story. I actually personally knew this priest well and he was well known and liked. My parents are in shock as i am too. The priest was accused of sexually molesting a minor. The whole ordeal with priests molesting children is all to controversial to even really get started. Like i said...i'm just in SHOCK & Sad for the entire Catholic Community...and very sad for my parents and their church.

This was a letter on Click2houston.com today.



"Today is time of pain and sorrow," DiNardo said. "Sorrow obviously for the person who made the allegation and sadness for the parishes and for the priest involved too."
Horn, 63, has been on leave from his current post as pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist Church in southeast Houston since the allegations were made, DiNardo said. He had served as pastor of that church, which serves about 3,000 families, since 1994.
Letters were sent to parishioners to make them aware of the allegations.
"I feel for the victim if this was factual," parishioner Marie Flickinger said. "You've got to feel bad for the victim, but if he has lived a good life the last 15 years, I hope people take that in consideration, too."
DiNardo said Horn was receiving care at a "facility that helps with some treatment and monitoring" for priests accused of abuse. He declined to say whether Horn has admitted or denied guilt.
"My personal opinion is that Father Horn is the most trustworthy, honest, respectable, righteous man that I know," parishioner Robert Navarette said.
Horn was ordained in 1973 and was highly respected within the archdiocese, DiNardo said.
DiNardo said the archdiocese will refer Horn's case to church officials in Rome, and he could face a canonical trial. The cardinal said the case also has been referred to the district attorney's office but it is likely that too much time has passed for him to be prosecuted.
DiNardo said the church has been vigilant since accusations of sexual abuse began several years ago. About 35,000 volunteers and people who work in the church have undergone training to recognize signs of abuse.
Horn has also served as associate pastor of St. Mary's Church in Texas City and St. Mary's Church in Galveston.
To read the letter sent to parishioners, click here.

When i asked my mom about this...she said the priest at church Sat. read a letter to the community...but they couldn't understand him so they really had no idea until the story broke last night on the news.


What a sad day today. I hope and pray for the catholic community...that this is not true and he didn't do it. But no one will ever really know besides the accuser and the priest.