Timor-Leste archbishop in plea over ex-priest s sex abuse case
Top churchman calls for priests, religious to respect the Vatican s decision to dismiss Richard Daschbach
Archbishop Dom Virgilio do Carmo da Silva s letter to Timor-Leste clergy and religious states that Richard Daschbach is ‘no longer a priest but a layman.’ (Photo: YouTube)
Timor-Leste’s top churchman has called on priests and religious to respect the Vatican s decision to dismiss a priest for sexual abuse and asked them to support his alleged victims in a case currently on trial.
In his July 22 letter to priests, deacons, nuns and seminarians, Archbishop Dom Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili said it was necessary to emphasize the status of Richard Daschbach, a former Divine Word (SVD) priest who was dismissed by the Vatican in 2018.
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Dili: It was the same every night. A list of names was posted on Reverend Richard Daschbachâs bedroom door. The child at the top of the roster knew it was her turn to share the lower bunk with the elderly priest and another elementary school-aged girl.
Daschbach was idolised in the remote enclave of East-Timor where he lived, largely for his role in helping save lives during the tiny nationâs bloody struggle for independence. So, the girls never spoke about the abuse they suffered. They said they were afraid they would be banished from the shelter the 84-year-old from Pennsylvania, US, established decades ago for abused women, orphans, and other destitute children.
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