On his TV program ?Fe y Acontecer?, Cardinal Nicol?s de
\nJes?s L?pez Rodr?guez criticized the press coverage given to the case of Domingo
\nEspinal, the missing priest of the Parroquia Inmaculada Concepci?n in the INVI
\nneighborhood of the Prolongaci?n Avenida Independencia, accused of the rape of a
\n14-year-old boy, and other boys.
\nThe Archbishop of Santo Domingo said that the press should seek information on
\nthe matter from the government and not the Church. He said the priest was
\ndisassociated from the Church as soon as the first report on a similar case was
\nreceived. According to the Cardinal, Espinal then left the DR but returned after
\nthe death of a brother.
\nThe Cardinal criticized the fact that, despite his removal from the Church, the
\ngovernment chose to promote him through military ranks, assigning him to the
\nsecond most important post at the Vocational School of the Armed Forces.
\nThe case against Espinal was aired recently by investigative journalist Nuria
\nPiera on her Channel 9 show. She interviewed the child and his relatives, and
\npresented a taped conversation between the boy and the priest. On the tape, the
\npriest urged the boy to forget what had happened between them.
\nThe Cardinal said on his Sunday?s Televida Channel 41 TV program: ?Everyone is
\nthe owner of his own acts. The same goes for other priests that could also be
\ninvolved in such weaknesses.?
\nEl Caribe reports that the Roman Catholic Church in Santo Domingo received a
\nletter in June 2000, in which a Catholic mother wrote to the Cardinal and Bishop
\nAmancio Escapa, regarding the attempted rape of her 17-year-old son by the
\npriest. The Church never responded directly to the concerned parents, but it now
\nappears that it did take the action of releasing the priest from his duties at
\nthe school. At the time, the mother of the 17-year-old took him to the Instituto
\nde la Familia, where he received two sessions of therapy. The family did not
\npursue the issue any further, claiming that the clergyman held too much
\ninfluence and it would have ultimately been his word against the boy?s.
\nWhen Piera aired the show about the 14-year-old victim, however, the mother of
\nthe first teen was watching. She said she felt the more courageous family of the
\n14-year-old also represented her family when they brought their claims to the
\nAttorney General?s office.
\nEspinal has been requested to appear at the Attorney General?s office but his
\ncurrent whereabouts are supposedly unknown. He is believed to be abroad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On his TV program ?Fe y Acontecer?, Cardinal Nicol?s de Jes?s L?pez Rodr?guez criticized the press coverage given to the case of Domingo Espinal, the missing priest of the Parroquia Inmaculada Concepci?n in the INVI neighborhood of the Prolongaci?n Avenida Independencia, accused of the rape of a 14-year-old boy, and other boys. The Archbishop of … <\/p>\n