A Church forsaken? reaping what it sows?

I have two dear friends who were in this priest's parish. Satan was probably dancing as this man did himself in. From The Pioneer Press:

Posted on Tue, Oct. 04, 2005



Judge: Priest was funeral home killer

Strong circumstantial evidence shows Erickson had motive, judge concludes

BY KEVIN HARTER

Pioneer Press

HUDSON, Wis. — There is overwhelming evidence that the Rev. Ryan Erickson killed two men in a Hudson funeral home in 2002, a St. Croix County judge said Monday after a day of testimony revealed the priest to be a man consumed by guns, alcohol and gay pornography.

"I conclude that Ryan Erickson probably committed the crimes in question," Judge Eric Lundell said. "On a scale of one to 10, I would consider it a 10. It is a very strong case of circumstantial evidence."

Erickson, 31, was an associate pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Hudson when Dan O'Connell, 39, and intern James Ellison, 22, were shot to death Feb. 5, 2002. The priest had the "motive and opportunity" to commit the murders, Lundell said.

St. Croix County District Attorney Eric Johnson said at least nine pieces of circumstantial evidence — including a confession to a church deacon — connected Erickson to the slayings. He laid out that evidence in a so-called John Doe proceeding, held to close the lengthy homicide investigation with a judge's opinion about who committed the crimes.

Investigators, who said they may have been overly cautious because Erickson was a priest, offered gut-wrenching details of Erickson's secret life behind closed rectory doors and chilling accounts of statements and actions made in public.

Erickson professed a love of God, but witnesses described a man who downloaded hardcore pornography — much of it involving boys. One file, which included 40 pornographic photos, was in a computer file labeled "Holy Mass/Prayers."

According to investigators' reports, when Erickson was 6 years old, he had sexual contact with a 4-year-old male cousin; when he was 19, he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy; when he was 21, he was investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a boy at a summer resort.

More recently, Erickson apparently "groomed" one teenage boy for sex during drinking binges and sleepovers at St. Patrick's rectory and was trying to do so with another, but that boy became uncomfortable.

Both testified during the court proceeding.

One victim, whose testimony was crucial to the investigation, said he and Erickson met while the then-teenager attended St. Anne Parish in Somerset, Wis., where Erickson had a weekend assignment while in the seminary. They met again at St. Agnes High School in St. Paul, where the youth attended classes. Erickson, who was at the time assigned to St. Patrick's, invited the boy for a visit to the Hudson church.

From 2000 to 2002, the victim testified, he spent many of his weekends at the rectory with Erickson, watching horror movies and playing drinking games. He estimated that Erickson had supplied him more than 1,200 cans of beer and the same amount of liquor shots. The victim said he had seen at least two handguns owned by the priest.

Once the boy was drunk, he testified, Erickson would invite him to his bed, where he molested him on about 10 occasions.
(read the rest here)

Just another who has led the flock away from the Church. In the wake of all the abuse scandals, this priest's actions sends but another buffet against His mystical body. My faith in my Church's leadership continues to be shaken.

In my early 20s, I was "hit on" by two different priests on different occasions (no, they didn't get anywhere with me). In the wake of the abuse scandals, I notified the Diocese of LaCrosse of these occurences, at which time I was advised by an assistant to the Bishop that I should "go to confession" and seek a blessing from a priest. I was advised that both of those priests are either out of the priesthood or retired, and "no longer pose a threat."

While I still believe in the tenets of the Catholic Church and its teachings. I have lost faith in its leadership, which in the last 40 years has been taken over by radical leftists, especially in the seminary and within the rank of bishops. I pine for the Church of my childhood. I do believe, that when all is said and done, God will see to it that the Church will be purged of the liberal elements that are doing it so much harm.

I believe that this is a start.