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Tri-County Sentry
Friday
FEBRUARY 21, 2014
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Hosts Annual Day Celebration
Rev. Robert Cox
Inez Lanns
Rev. Robert Cox and Leroy “Buddy” Gibson
Ramona Mitchell and Kelvin Ammons
Ruby Manor
Grenisha Holmes
Dennis Holloway
Ava Adams and Tobbie Gibson
Iva Jeffreys From page 1A different seasons through a poem titled The Kingdom of God Is At Hand by Janelle Robinson. “It’s time to put in that work. We need to start working and making the changes that we want to see in this world. We have to do it. We can’t wait for anyone else to do it.” Excerpts from the poem include: “The Kingdom of God was a mystery, but the key in found inside you and me… The Kingdom of God’s government is a spiritual process of establishing faith in Jesus as our solid belief. Administering Kingdom needs, enforcing heavenly decrees in a world we’ve been commanded to seize… In the Kingdom of God we overtake, overthrow, subdue and morally conquer. We walk in the authority of a heavenly sponsor. In the Kingdom of God are great destinies, but your destiny is only manifested when you have been effective
Stephanie Kelley in the lives of the people that you have affected. The time is now! The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Ruby Manor spoke about being of service as a Christian woman. “Every season is beautiful in its time. Whether it’s spring, summer, fall or winter, each one brings about wonderful, beautiful and sometimes unexpected changes. No matter what season it is, it’s our time,” said Mrs. Manor. She continued, “Serving is something that I still take as a privilege, to serve in my church and in my community. Our theme, Christian Women Empowered to Serve in Any Season of Life, has this meaning for me. God has equipped each one of us through his power to be humble and willing servants, regardless of where we are in life. God has given all of us some abilities, interests, gifts and talents, and life BETHEL, See page 11B
ported abuse beginning at age 16 or 17 and continuing until ages 20 or 21. Mr. Nolan even tried to tell the Chicago police about the abuse. He said he was called a liar and ridiculed. At several churches where Fr. Stewart served, there were multiple allegations of sexual abuse. There was a report of sexual abuse when Fr. Stewart was at St. Catherine of Genoa parish and the survivor was in high school. According to the archdiocese report: “The abuse
consisted of oral sex on the survivor and occurred about once per month in high school.” Fr. Stewart reportedly sexually abused minors from 1981-1986 while serving at St. Charles Lwanga parish. The parish council of St. Ailbe’s church, where he served in the early 1990s, was “upset because they see boys coming and going from the rectory at all hours,” documents show. SECRET, continued on February 28, 2014.
An ‘Open Secret’: Catholic Sexual Abuse in the Black Community
Attorney Jeff Anderson, left, places his hand on the files of Catholic priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors in the Archdiocese of Chicago, prior to a news conference, Jan. 21, in Chicago. Joining Anderson is Attorney Marc Pearlman. (Photo Credit: AP/Wide World photos) By Ashahed M. Muham- boys at will, and seemingly mad (Part I of II) without any fear of being Special to the NNPA from punished. The Final Call The Nolan tragedy proCHICAGO (FinalCall. vides almost a case study into com) – Files released how pedophile priests victimby the Chicago Catholic ized the Black community. Archdiocese show decades In files released as part of systematic secrecy and of a settlement in a sexual protection of pedophile abuse case, the Chicago priests, however, for some Catholic Archdiocese was victims of abuse, the night- clearly aware of many almare continues and justice legations of sexual abuse remains elusive. involving Fr. Stewart. David Nolan is 46-years- Documents show victims old. His harrowing tales of reported Fr. Stewart and abuse began at 13 years of other priests were “part of age as Father Victor Stew- a club that participated in art, now deceased, used his pedophilia.” authority and power to have Mr. Nolan said the church sex with dozens of young shuffled priests from parish
David Nolan (Photo Credit: Tim 6X) to parish to protect its image, not children and families in the church. Church leaders knew all along abuse charges were true, he said. “I’ve continued to be abused over the years not only by the Chicago Archdiocese, but by our legal system. It destroyed my marriage because I didn’t have no recourse, I didn’t know how to deal with it, it destroyed my relationships with family, so now to hear that these documents are being released I’m saddened. I’m dismayed. I’m disappointed because the church I grew up loving—when they had a chance to really display spirit and truth of Christ— they chose to persecute me and label me as a liar.”
In this March 14, 2013, file photo, Chicago Cardinal Francis George speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Rome, Italy. (Photo Credit: AP/Wide World photos) Fr. Stewart was considered a godfather to the many young boys with no role models or mentors. As a religious figure in a crime-ridden Englewood neighborhood, he was placed on a pedestal. Many of the young men from impoverished backgrounds enjoyed receiving gifts Fr. Stewart showered them with, new clothes, gym shoes and video games. Those gifts came with a price—inappropriate touching, sex, and a vow of secrecy. From time to time, young boys would actually live at the rectory, and according to legal files and testimonies, the sexual abuse was an open secret. Not all of the victims were young teenagers. Some re-
L.A. County Sued by ACLU Over Cross on Seal
A civil rights group sued the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on January 6, challenging the constitutionality of the panel’s recent decision to restore a cross to the county seal. The complaint filed in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California contends that restoring the cross was unconstitutional because it “favors the Christian religion over all other religions and divides County residents by religion and by adherence or non-adherence to reli-
gious beliefs.” In a motion introduced by Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Don Knabe, the board voted 3-2 last month to add a cross to the top of the San Gabriel Mission in its depiction on the county emblem, which is displayed on buildings, vehicles and official communications. “While the ACLU has chosen to engage in this issue, I am up in Sacramento working with a bipartisan group of elected officials to protect our most vulnerable, the young victims of ACLU, See page 12A