Argentine priest on trial for sexual abuse
[Source]:
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — An Argentine priest went on trial Tuesday, charged with 17 counts of sexual abuse and corruption of three young boys.
Prosecutors say Julio Grassi, 52, abused three boys — including two minors — who attended his well-known “Happy the Children” Foundation for underprivileged youth. The boys are on a list of more than 350 witnesses who will testify against Grassi over the next few months. The archbishop of Buenos Aires is also on the list.
“Happy the Children” Foundation, created in 1993, converted Grassi into a renowned figure in Argentina, allowing him to bring in thousands of dollars (euros) in donations, many from important public figures who have since distanced themselves from the priest.
Grassi reiterated a claim of innocence Tuesday during an abruptly called recess due to alleged “irregularities” in the case, according to his lawyers. The priest has a Web site on which he also declares his innocence and says his life’s purpose is “to save children from a life on the street.”
More than 90 percent of Argentines identify themselves as Catholics, although less than 20 percent are practicing.
Jesus image seen in granite slab in Dallas
[Source]:
10:24 PM CDT on Friday, June 27, 2008
See vidoe hereJohn Ganster has watched cars creep, crawl and park in front of his East Dallas stone company as their occupants try to catch a glimpse of a granite slab stained with what some think is an image of Jesus.
”Some customers and people have just wanted to take a look for themselves,” said Mr. Ganster, a co-owner of Verona Marble Co., which is in the 4800 block of Olson Drive, near the intersection of Samuell Boulevard and Loop 12.
At first, no one at the company noticed the image, Mr. Ganster said. Then a customer called and asked about buying the “Jesus slab,” a 1,000-pound hunk of granite that comes from Brazil.
“We said, ‘What are you talking about?’ ” he said. “We went to see for ourselves.”
The stone had been in the company’s Tulsa, Okla., store. It was moved to the Dallas office in December, after builders in the Tulsa area kept passing on it because of cosmetic imperfections.
“That’s kind of ironic,” Mr. Ganster said. “Christ said that he would build his church on the stone that the builders rejected.”
Now, the company has little trouble getting offers for the slab, which would normally sell for about $1,500. Some of those offers have come from competitors.
But Mr. Ganster said Verona has no plans to sell.
Instead, he said, the company hopes to donate the stone to a Catholic church in Oklahoma. The church could then use it as a fundraiser or as part of a building.
“This came to us for a reason,” Mr. Ganster said. “I don’t know why, but it did.”
Priest admits 27 sexual assaults
[Source]:
A priest who sexually abused boys at a Manchester Catholic school in the 1970s and 1980s has admitted, at Manchester Crown Court, 27 assaults on children.
Father William Green, 67, of Cale Lane, Aspull, Wigan, admitted the assaults on children aged between eight and 16.
Green took physical education classes at St Bede’s College in Alexandra Park, Manchester, when the assaults happened and has also worked at other schools.
He is due to be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 30 September.
Green was charged with 33 counts of indecent assault against nine boys under 16.
He pleaded guilty to 27 of the charges relating to seven victims and the remaining six charges were ordered to lie on the file.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Greater Manchester said: “We have co-operated with the authorities since the beginning of the investigation.
“It is regrettable when something like this happens. Our priority and concern is always for the victims.”
