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February 2008

Demonstration in Queensbury, New York, 2/10/2008

Saturday Mass was beginning soon, but Tim Sawicky stood outside Our Lady of Annunciation Church, snow piling up around his feet, with cars inching by on Aviation Road. Sawicky, along with about half dozen other demonstrators Saturday afternoon, were protesting the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese handling of an area priest who has been accused of sexually abusing a minor. The Diocese announced last month that the Rev. Gary Mercure, the pastor of Sacred Heart and St. William parishes in Troy, is under investigation by the Diocese's Sexual Misconduct Review Board.

Opinion Piece on Cardinal Egan of New York

It was not coincidental that Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, attended the funeral for the wife of the Senate Majority leader, Senator Joseph Bruno. Since Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, in whose jurisdiction the parish where “Bobbie” Bruno was buried, was present at the funeral Mass, there was no reason for Cardinal Egan’s presence except in light of the horrendous crisis of clergy sexual abuse that has plagued the dioceses of New York State and the country, and his connection with the man who, so far, has catered to the wishes of his Church leaders.

Letter to the Editor: Albany Diocese, Father Gary Mercure

The Albany Diocese insists that the allegation of sexual abuse made against Fr. Gary Mercure in the 1990's was not abuse; rather, they claim it was an act of consensual sex. After all, John Watkins was an adult when he and Fr. Mercure were "involved." Nothing could be further from the truth! Any psychologist worth his/her salt would say that John Watkins was as much a victim of sexual abuse as were the children Mercure allegedly molested throughout his priesthood.