A Roman Catholic priest near the US’s border with Mexico is facing criminal charges on allegations that he sexually molested a child, according to authorities.
Fernando Gonzalez Ortega’s arrest for sexually abusing a minor and of trafficking of persons demonstrates that US Catholic bishops have not yet rooted out all molesters under their command despite reform prompted by the worldwide church’s decades-old clergy molestation scandal, abuse victims and their advocates have argued.
Gonzalez, 52, had been serving as pastor of Saint Luke’s church in Brownsville, Texas, when he was named in an “allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor” that diocesan officials received, local bishop Daniel Flores said in a 13 February statement.
The complainant, who is now an adult but was underage at the time of the alleged molestation, came forward through the Brownsville diocese’s abuse victims’ assistance coordinator. Police then arrested Gonzalez on 13 February, booking him on accusations of continuous sexual abuse of a child, trafficking persons, and allowing a minor to participate in a sexual performance or engage in sexual conduct.
Credit: theguardian.com
