Northern California

Articles Covering Northern California

San Francisco Chronicle

April 23, 2004

Court orders bundling of priest molest cases in San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Rosa dioceses.

Dozens of lawsuits accusing Roman Catholic priests in Northern California of molestation will go to a single judge for pretrial proceedings... (Full Story)

Over 500 Gather At “Blocked” Two Day
Catholic Conference
In San Francisco

By all accounts the USF Future Church and VOTF Leadership Conference was a huge success and VOTF organizers were gratified that so many concerned Catholics made an informed decision to attend a serious conference on the current crisis in Catholic Church.

The audience erupted in laughter and applause. Fr.Privett’s point was not lost on the gathered crowd of over 500 Catholics.

Editor’s Note: [ Maurice Healy the Editor of ‘Catholic San Francisco’ (the Archdiocesan paper) attended the Saturday session as a journalist. Mr. Healy was somewhat apologetic and was heard to comment that the whole controversy of the refusal to cover the “Future Church Conference” or accept ads or notices for the conference was just a misunderstanding.”

VOTF President Jim Post reports On the Western States Conference
Cathy and Bill Fallon Report - Imaging the Future Church
Give laity a key role in fixing church

VOTF Northern California’s
Second Letter to
Archbishop Levada

The August 29th announcement that Fr. Daniel Carter has been removed as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Belmont and the resulting confusion and division of opinion concerning the Archbishop’s actions heighten the urgency for Archbishop Levada to respond to Voice of the Faithful - Northern California’s April 3rd letter asking for important changes to policies and procedures effecting accused clergy, survivors and the Archdiocesan Review board. Full Story

Public Record

Clergy Abuse Statistics
For the Archdiocese of San Francisco
(From 1950 to the Present) The full Story

See also:

San Francisco Chronicle/sfgate.com		By Don Lattin Sept 18, 2004
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA dioceses says freedom of religion limits molest damages
Lawyers for the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California told an Oakland judge Friday that constitutional guarantees for the free exercise of religion limit the damages child molestation victims can collect for decades- old cases of priestly abuse. ... (Full Story)

sfgate.com	By Don Lattin July 10, 2004
Archbishop Levada's Oregon history surfaces. Lawyers question S.F. Archbishop's role in molest cases
Two lawyers representing Oregon molestation victims have raised questions about the role San Francisco Archbishop William Levada played in a priestly sex abuse scandal that led to this week's unprecedented bankruptcy of the Archdiocese of Portland. (Full Story) Related Story: What Happens when a church goes bankrupt


Archbishop Uses Archdiocesan Paper to Criticize Chronicle Reporter, VOTF Chapters and S.N.A.P. a Survivor’s Rights Organization.
Unfounded claims and unfair reporting By Archbishop William J. Levada

VOTF East Bay

Oct 13, 2004

Father Tom Doyle
Addresses VOTF On
the Root Causes of the Scandal

“... the Catholic Church’s current governmental structure with its lack of checks and balances lead to the inability of Church leadership to respond adequately.”

(Full Story)

San Jose Mercury News/AP Wire

October 9, 2004

An explanation of the clergy abuse litigation in California (Full Story)

NapaNews.com

By DAVID RYAN September 22, 2004

L.A. Courts to hear sex charges against
Napa priest

The Victim said Fr. Alzugaray molested her during a three-year period starting in 1967, when she was an 8-year-old student attending the Immaculate Conception School in Monrovia. She is the only one to make a claim against Fr. Alzugaray. (Full Story)

KTVU.COM/BAYINSIDER.COM

September 18, 2004

Father Jose Superiaso Found Not Guilty
In San Mateo Molestation Case

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- A Catholic priest was found not guilty Friday on three counts of sexually molesting a girl a decade ago after his attorney raised doubts about her age at the time of the alleged offenses.

The jury deadlocked on 18 additional charges
Judge declares mistrial.

(Full Story)

San Francisco Chronicle/sfgate.com

By Don Lattin September 18, 2004

Northern California Dioceses Says Freedom Of Religion Limits Molestation Damages

Lawyers for the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California told an Oakland judge Friday that constitutional guarantees for the free exercise of religion limit the damages child molestation victims can collect for decades- old cases of priestly abuse. ...

(Full Story)

San Francisco Chronicle/sfgate.com

By Don Lattin September 3, 2004

Oakland’s Judge's Ruling Reduces Payouts In
Northern California’s Clergy Molest Suits

An East Bay judge handed Catholic bishops across Northern California a key victory Thursday, setting guidelines in sex-abuse lawsuits that will reduce church payouts to victims molested decades ago. Full Story

Yahoo News/Reuters August 29,2004

August 29, 2004

L.A. Archdiocese May Pay 1.5 Billion
To Settle Claims

$1,500,000,000
In Damages from the
Archdiocese of
Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - People who say they were sexually abused by priests could receive more than $1.5 billion in damages from The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles -- more than any other U.S. diocese has paid, an attorney for more than 100 alleged victims said on Sunday.
(Full Story)

Tidings On-Line

August 20, 2004

The Concerns of Catholics

By Richard P. McBrien

Father McBrien makes an analysis of the questions and concerns which American Catholics are beginning (in greater and greater numbers) to ask about the American Hierarchy. The questions indicate the failure of our American bishops to maintain the trust of the people.
Full Article