The Church That Forgot Christ by Jimmy Breslin

Author:Jimmy Breslin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Free Press
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

December 28, 2002

Dear Bishop Daily,

On October 18 and 28 I wrote to Monsignor Otto Garcia of my serious concerns regarding malicious tactics being used by diocesan lawyer Richard Cea to malign the good name of my family…I have just completed a 90 question set of interrogatories sent by Mr. Cea. It is my understanding that, as the plaintiff in a civil suit, I am mandated to answer these questions.

Your Excellency, I know that you know the Burkes from Glendale personally, but I would like to share with you a bit about my family. My mother and father have been registered parishioners at St. Pancras for over 50 years. I come from a family of eight brothers and sisters and truly Saint Pancras was our home…Today my seven-year-old son is in the second grade at Saint Pancras. My mother and father gave three of their children to consecrated life to serve in the Church they loved so much. Five of us work in Catholic education.

My two older brothers, Shane and John are twins. Sadly, in the early 1960s while altar boys at Saint Pancras, Father James Steckler molested them. My brother John was abused by Father Steckler from 1960 until 1968. My father informed Reverend Joseph Weber, our cousin, and the diocese sent Father Steckler to Saint Rose of Lima.

My brothers went on to enter the Franciscan Novitiate. Shane was the stronger personality and seems to have been able to handle the trauma as he has been in consecrated life for almost 37 years. My brother John received a leave after one year to discern his vocation. John met Bishop Mugavero’s nephew, Donald Kramer, in the novitiate and they became domestic partners. Bishop Mugavero and his companion, Msgr. Walker, were very kind and generous to my brother. They helped to furnish his apartment and took him on trips to the Bishop’s condo in Saint Maarten.

Sincerely, Mrs. Barbara Burke-Samide.

October 28, 2002

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