18 October 2016. Press Release of Serbian Western American Diocese in re McKay… Clear It’s an INVOLUNTARY Suspension

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A friend was kind enough to send me the actual press release of the diocese about the priest arrested up in Oregon on kiddie sex charges:

Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church

1621 W Garvey Ave

Alhambra CA 91803

Telephone: 626 289-9061

Friday 14 October 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Statement from the Western American Diocese Regarding the Arrest of Fr Daniel MacKay

The Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been informed that Fr Daniel J MacKay, age 42, was arrested on Wednesday 12 October 2016, in Lane County, Oregon. Fr Daniel was contacted by police and arrested on charges stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor and possession of a controlled substance. While the criminal proceedings are pending and until the conclusion of ecclesiastical proceedings, Fr Daniel will be suspended from all pastoral duties to which he was assigned. While everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the Western American Diocese nonetheless takes allegations of misconduct in any form very seriously and must act accordingly to insure the safety and security of all our Orthodox parishioners and others as we conduct our worship and ministries together. Such misconduct is abhorrent and not condoned by the Holy Orthodox Faith. We are deeply concerned and pray for all involved. The Western American Diocese stands ready to cooperate with the civil authorities. Further, anyone who might be, or knows someone that has been, a victim of sexual abuse by a member of the diocesan clergy, church employee, or volunteer should first call the police and then report the matter, confidentially, to the Diocesan ombudsman at 415 930-9069.

END

In short, the diocese did suspend the priest and made it clear that the cleric had no choice in the matter. This should clear up some of the online speculation on this. Now, it’s in the court’s hands. If the court finds him guilty, the diocese, no doubt, will defrock him. We shouldn’t shun him if he gets slam time… but he’s definitely out of the clergy. My thanks to my interlocutor who made this available to me in its original form.

BMD

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Cops Nick St Sava Seminary Student for Child Solicitation in IL

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The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that they charged a 22-year-old student at a theological college in Lake County with indecent solicitation of a child. According to a sheriff’s press release issued today, on Friday, Dario Spasić contacted someone whom he thought was a 14-year-old boy through a mobile social networking app, and arranged for a meeting at 22.00 the same day. Authorities said that Spasić actually communicated with a detective from the sheriff’s cybercrimes unit posing as an underage boy. When Spasić arrived for the meeting, the cops arrested him. The sheriff’s office confirmed that Spasić is a student at St Sava School of Theology in Libertyville IL, and the address the department provided for him is the same block as the school’s location. According to the school’s website, St Sava provides religious education and trains students for the Serbian Orthodox priesthood. A man who answered the phone at the campus in Libertyville, identifying himself as the property manager, confirmed that there’s a student there by the same name, but deferred further questions to another priest, who we couldn’t immediately reach. According to a sheriff’s press release, the arrested man “requested to meet with (someone) who he believed was the 14-year-old boy” with the intent to engage in sexual activities. Spasić remains at Lake County Jail, with bond set at 100,000 USD (3.84 million Roubles. 614,000 Renminbi. 6.1 million INR. 111,000 CAD. 113,500 AUD. 79,000 Euros. 62,000 UK Pounds). He’s set to appear in court on Wednesday.

22 September 2014

Lisa Black

Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/libertyville/chi-seminary-student-child-solicitation-20140922-story.html

Toronto Police Lay Seven More Sex Assault Charges Against Romanian Orthodox Priest

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Toronto police said that a Romanian Orthodox priest faces seven more sexual assault charges in addition to one laid earlier this month. Police arrested Ioan Pop, 54, of Toronto in early September and charged him with one count of sexual assault after a woman was allegedly assaulted at All Saints Romanian Orthodox Church in the city’s east end. At the time, police released a photograph and said that they believed there might be more victims. Detective Teresa Curtis of the sex crimes unit said that several more women came forward with allegations against Pop, who’s now charged with eight counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. She said that the new charges relate to alleged incidents that happened between 2005 and 2011, and that the additional seven complainants were between 24 and 43-years-old at the time of the alleged offences. Curtis said that Pop is in custody. Police still believe that there may be more complainants and are asking anyone with any further information to come forward.

30 September 2013

CTV News

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-police-lay-7-more-sex-assault-charges-against-orthodox-priest-1.1476948

 

Romanian Orthodox Priest Arrested in Alleged Sexual Assault of Parishioner in Metro Toronto Church

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On Wednesday, cops arrested a Toronto priest for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in his Scarborough ON (part of the Greater Toronto Area) parish. Ioan Pop, the 54-year-old parish priest at All Saints Romanian Orthodox Church, faces charges of one count of sexual assault. According to the Toronto Police Service, on Tuesday 3 September, reports say that Rev Pop allegedly sexually assaulted a woman who entered the church, only to be surprised by a couple who “interrupted the assault”. The statement added, “Police believe that there may be more victims”. All Saints, located near Birchmount and Danforth, was consecrated in 2008. A 2008 write-up on the website of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas said that the parish itself came about “because of the desire of the Romanian faithful and the efforts of Fr Ioan Pop to create a solid Romanian and Orthodox community on Canadian soil”. Rev Pop has a 15 October hearing at the Eglinton Avenue East courthouse.

13 September 2013

Tristin Hopper

National Post

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/09/13/orthodox-priest-arrested-in-alleged-sexual-assault-of-scarborough-parishioner/