Priest, 77, guilty of sex abuse in 1990s. Man gets 60-day sentence, probation

[Ian David]

Source: The Chicago Tribune

By Hal Dardick
Tribune staff reporter
Published April 27, 2007

A 77-year-old Carmelite priest from Joliet pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually molesting two brothers in the 1990s when they were young teenagers under his spiritual guidance.

In a deal with Will County prosecutors, Rev. Louis Rogge is expected to spend 30 days in jail and serve 4 years of probation. The priest, who has a prior child-abuse conviction and was removed from the ministry in 2002, must register as a sex offender.

<snip>

Schoenstedt said he would accept the deal -- if Rogge cooperated with the evaluation, stayed out of trouble and showed up on time for sentencing. The agreement called for a 60-day jail term, with day-for-day credit for good time, and a suspended sentence of 120 days Rogge would have to serve if he got into trouble while on probation.

<snip>

Still, he praised Will County authorities. "Given the fact that so many in law enforcement even now still show excessive and reckless deference to church officials, I'm grateful he is at least spending some time behind bars," he said. "Any guilty verdict or plea and jail sentence at least provides some measure of validation and comfort and public safety."

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0704270519apr27,1,7702146.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed&ctrack=3&cset=true

[valerief]

1. Well, well, well. Another example of NO JUSTICE in Bush's Murka. nt

[cliss]

2. What is a Carmelite? = Catholic??

OK, let's look at this Old Boy's track record. Here he is, 77 years old, and he was molesting people in the 1990's. That means that he was in his late 60's. And he's still getting it up?

That's pretty amazing.

Red-hot priest.

[Solon]

3. Carmalites are an Order of the Catholic Church that dates back to at least the 11th century. n/t

[WindRavenX]

4. 60 days?

:eyes:

[Yukari Yakumo]

8. On the bright side...

You know what prisoners do to convicted pedophiles when they're behind bars. Given his age, he'll be lucky to survive those 60 days.

Just check out this story: http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/24/geoghan/index.html

[Benhurst]

5. He should be locked away for the rest of his life, and

the Catholic Church made to pay for it.

And that goes for all child-molesting "men of God" and the organizations they represent.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. "has a prior child-abuse conviction ..., must register as a sex offender"

Why hasn't the previous conviction already meant he's registered as a sex offender?

[Igel]

7. Child abuse is different from sexual abuse. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. But it is described in the article as "child molestation"

Rogge of the 3500 block of Lake Shore Drive in Joliet pleaded guilty to child molestation in Athens, Ga., in 1974, said Rev. John Welch, provincial for the Darien-based Carmelite Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. He was sentenced to 6 years of probation but was allowed to serve only 2, after undergoing counseling and having his ministry restricted to adults.

Perhaps offences from 30 years ago don't get you on the sex offenders' register? They ought to, I'd say.

[dsc]

12. No they shouldn't

at least not in a country that bans ex post facto laws. But this guy should be spending years in prison which he won't.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. That depends on whether you see the register as a punishment or good government

For instance, if you decide that a food additive is carcinogenic, you can construct a list of foods that were made using it, and say "no-one eat these, or sell them". Similarly, you can make up a list of past sex offenders, and say "no-one employ these people in jobs involving children". It's irrelevant that the criminal didn't know a list would be constructed at the time they committed the offence.

[dsc]

17. Of course it is punishment

I think these people should be put under the jail. But once we punish them, that is it. Retroactive listing is just plain unfair. First, it is ex post facto. Second, many of those listed for 30 year old offenses were entrapped gays, blacks who had sex with whites, and others who are no harm to anyone.

On edit Requiring backround checks is both legal and sensible. But that is very different from having a public list and making that list retroactive.

[baldguy]

10. Catholic hypocrisy.

The Church has no right to pass moral judgment on anybody for anything as long as it shelters, protects & defends sexual predators.

[fasttense]

11. This is why I will never step foot into a Catholic church again.

I was raised Catholic and was taught priests were good spiritual leaders. I no longer believe they can provide spiritual guidance when they are so spiritually corrupt. Those that didn't molest and rape children, knew about it and hid their fellow priests' horrors from the law. The Catholic church is spiritually bankrupt. How can they dare claim any spiritual grace?

[Celeborn Skywalker]

13. I don't know where you went to church,

but in my church we were taught that priests were human like everyone else. So it makes sense that some are going to be sick perverts just as there are sick perverts in all aspects of society.

[PassingFair]

15. They seem to be committing these crimes at a higher percentage

than the population at large.

Perhaps the celibacy requirement attracts
men with problems....

[Celeborn Skywalker]

16. That could be.

I wish the church would get rid of their outdated celibacy rules.