From the Pastor of Holy Trinity (Georgetown):
I am very sorry to share with you the difficult news that Fr. J. Glenn Murray, S.J., who served in the Washington, D.C., area from 2007 to 2011, has been permanently removed from ministry following a credible allegation of improper touching of a minor that occurred in 1981-82 while Fr. Murray was working in Baltimore.
According to Fr. Jim Shea, Provincial of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, this is the only allegation of misconduct involving Fr. Murray that the Province has received.
For more on this, please go to Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown.
19 comments:
What a loss for us all. Father J Glenn has been a light to the world and those who know him, know him to be one of the most ethical, honest and beloved. It's sad that something so many years ago, which from what I gather, was quite innocent, has come to this. We live in a world where it's about "risk management" Twenty years ago, priests gave hugs, pats on the shoulder and who knows what the young person was feeling. Because the Church has had such serious and egregious abuses, these minor situations are being blown out of proportion. My question is after this had been investigated twice before and there was no credible evidence. Why would they need to go back and check "one more time". I know if someone kept going back and checking my history, time and again, eventually they would find "something". I used to hug kids all the time. Nothing sexual but then I wasn't a priest. Now priest are afraid to shake a young man's hand because someone will take it wrong. If there was a victum, I'm sorry for him and I hope there is healing. I had a father who never hugged me, a track coach who slapped me in the butt. After all these years, I think I'm doing ok.
What a sad ending for a good priest. I have always respected and admired Father Murray. It is hard to believe the allegations. He has my heartfelt sympathy and prayers.
If I walked into a police station and claimed that I was fondled in 1981 by my old gym teacher I'd be laughed out of the station. Why is it that priest's have less rights than anybody else?
Father Murray has been a prominent dissenter against Catholic moral teaching and liturgical principles for his entire career. His tenure in Cleveland was a low point in the history of that diocese and its Catholic culture. No one who has ever worked with him directly would be even slightly surprised by the reports leading to this current situation.
Augustine,
You're absolutely right.I've been waiting for this to come.The church simply can't afford this kind of false teaching any longer.He did a huge damage to the church and misguided the people for too too long.
i have to agree w/Augustine - I looked at some videos of this priest available on the internet and I am wondering if AAWC's posting is sarcastic (?)
Augustine, "a low point" in cleveland's history? Really? Do you live here? Have you not seen and heard all that is going on here now??! Ask the priests and lay faithful about the current episicopal debacle...they long for the days gone by! As for Fr. Murray, just because he challenged your own presuppositions doesn't mean he was not a good, nay, great priest and true to the best of catholic teachings and tradition!
Just watch some of the videos of this priest and tell me is this how a "great priest and true to catholic teaching and tradition"supposed to be.God help us!
Well, you watched a few videos then you must be right! How come I didn't think of that?! What a terribly Christian way to judge someone's entire career! May people not judge you with that same criteria.
Sorry,priests and bishops shouldn't stray away from the magisterium,and Fr.Murray's done it big time.I'm not judging him,it's there for everyone to see.It's one thing to say he's a charming,intelligent,compassionate priest,it's another to say he's true to the best Catholic teaching and tradition.
I'm not certain what the previous poster is referring to when he or she mention "straying from the magesterium" and "it is there for everyone to see" but speaking in these ambiguities is the refuge of the simple small mind. For well over 30 years Fr. Murray was invited into countless diocese across the country and around the globe to present the Church's teaching. When one makes comments such as the sweeping generalizations as above, what does that say about all of the legitimate authorities who invited him?! The magesterium, as made manifest in the successors of the apostles, is proof of Fr. Murray's orthodoxy.
If people don't want to see the truth,they will not see it.Search and you will get information on the good father.In 2004,he was at the Religious Ed conference in LA with scantily clad dancers and we all can watch these conference on youtube.He left Cleveland in 2007 after the good bishop Lennon arrived and started cleaning house.Thanks be to God.
Wow, Another video based judgement of a life given in service to the Church! The comment about Bishop Lennon should tell everyone all they need to know about the commentor's judgement!
I thought the comments should be about Fr.Murray and not about the commentators.Anyway,maybe for certain folks Fr.Murray is very very true to the teaching of the church(to each his own)I will be praying for Fr.Murray and all other lost priests to find their way back home.
Bishop Lennon may not be perfect but he's not a bad one.Read Adam's blog and see the bishop's trying to do his best.Pray for him.
Yes,for over 30 years priests and theologians the like of Fr.Murray,Mcbrien,Roth....were invited to preach all over the globe and that's why we're where we are.Thanks to spineless bishops.
I agree, what a terrible loss. My family and I were fortunate enough to hear Fr. J Glenn Murray at our home parish on several occasions. When Fr. J Glenn speaks his message is always clear and incredibly well-presented. When you can get teenagers to actually enjoy mass and want to discuss it further upon leaving, you have certainly achieved something. In all fairness, I hope that their investigation was more than thorough and not just a conclusion drawn in light of our current situation regarding priests.
I experienced Fr. Murray for the 1st time in Denver, 2001, for a Youth Minister Conference. I was blown away, what a brilliant man! I was blessed to see him year after year in LA for Congress, yes dancing and singing with the Liturgical movement teams--what joy he brought. You say that he was not true to the magesterium, boy you should hear the priests in my diocese. It was Fr. Murray who made me question their teachings. It was Fr. Murray who challenged me to embrace more fully the Eucharist, the Mass and my faith. If Fr. Murray is what you say we must be talking about 2 different priests. I am saddened as I am sure so many are about these allegations. I pray for him and all of the priests who have committed or been accused of abusing children. What a sad day for our church. I will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit will open my eyes to false teachers and I pray that Fr. Murray wasn't one of them!
the allegations are true. The victim came forward at the bequest of his wife after seeing another child (victim adult at this time) in an identical vulnerable situation. The victim, upon graduation, escaped his surroundings but returned only to have to go through years of therapy for, initially, unknown reasons. As an adult the victim had opportunity to visit their old school and witnessed, with their own eyes, the beginning of a repeat of their own trauma with another youth in their place. The witness told the initial investigator that they did not want to have formal charges brought but that they felt it a responsible position to try to stop the production of another victim. That's why the victim stopped cooperating. the only purpose was to break the chain. to this very day...the victim wonders what their life would have been like without this incident...
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