This is a real live allegation. Presently the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City is without a prelate. He has since left the Country and is under investigation. Read the allegations yourself:

http://www.catholicreport.org/comments.php?cID=5650

Dolores Atwood writes:

I am writing this note concerning the past and present conducts of ArchBishop Richard Burke S.P.S of the Arch Dioceses of Warri and Benin in Nigeria a Irish citizen. I am a 41-year-old woman who has been living in Canada since 1995 with my husband and 3 children. In 1982 as a young girl from a Muslim home I began my journey into the Catholic faith and first met Father Richard Burke a Catholic priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Warri Nigeria. In 1983 when I was 14 years old, I became the victim of (what I now know to be) a sexual assault. When I was 14, I was sick in the hospital with a fever and Father Burke came to visit me. When he and I were alone in my hospital room, he touched and kissed me in a very inappropriate manner. During my teenage years, I suffered through the divorce of my parents, Richard Burke was there for me and the relationship between myself and he intensified. I became so attached to Richard Burke, that there seemed to be no one else that could be a part of my life, even though I knew that he was having relations with other young Nigerian girls. During the past 25 years I did not tell anyone of our relationship, because he told me not to talk about it to anyone no matter what and also fear of the negative impacts on him and the Catholic Church. Richard Burke left Nigeria in 1989 when he was sent to New Jersey in the USA and then back to Ireland with St. Patrick’s Society. In 1993 I met my husband, who was a Canadian volunteer working in Nigeria, while I was studying at University. My husband and I were married in 1995 in Canada and have had 3 children together. From 1989 to 1995 Father Burke and I continued communications by letters. When I told him that I was planning to get married in 1994, he became upset with me and told me that I should never tell anyone about the relationship between himself and I. Richard Burke returned to Nigeria in 1996 as Bishop of Warri Diocese. From 1996 to 1998, my husband and I left Canada and worked in Thailand. In 1998 Bishop Burke and I began regular communications by phone again. In 2000 while I was expecting my second child, Bishop Burke said that he would help get my youngest sister to come to Canada for a visit. I suspected that there was something not right when things did not work out and Bishop Burke began to take a keen interest in my youngest sisters well being. Once again, our relationship intensified with frequent amorous telephone conversations. In 2005 I found out that Bishop Burke had had a sexual relationship with my youngest sister. The “friendship” between Bishop Burke and myself began to deteriorate as, once again, I started to become aware of other young girls that he was molesting. In fact, I suspect that Richard Burke has molested or sexually abused hundreds of young Nigerian girls during his time as a priest and Bishop in Nigeria. I also know that he has taped past conversations that I have had with him and have told others, including his family in Ireland as well as my husband that I am obsessed with him in order to discredit me and make me appear to be crazy. Over a year ago, following a major dispute between myself and Bishop Burke, I confessed to my husband that I had had an intimate relationship with Bishop Burke. This was the first time that I had ever told anyone of this affair. Since my confession, my husband and I have gone to marriage counseling and I have taken private counseling to deal with the stress, trauma and confusion that I have had to deal with over the past 26 years. Following my counseling sessions, I have learned that a man that I though had loved and cared for me has in fact manipulated and controlled me. I know that Richard Burke is self-serving and that he does not serve the Church. In fact the Church serves Richard Burke by providing him access to the young girls that look up to him and then become his victims of unwanted sexual advances. I believe now, that Richard Burke is a pedophile I have been corresponding with St. Patrick\\\'s Society since 2007 about this and have shared with them taped conversations that I had with Richard Burke in the past where he admits to having inapproprite sexual relations with young girls, married women, religious sisters and prostitutes. I have saved notes letters and emails that Richard Burke had sent me in the past, which I have shared with those of St. Patrick\\\'s that are \\\"investigating\\\" him. I know that Richard Burke was sent for an assessment at St. Luke\\\'s in Manchester in March of this year, and that Richard Burke is continuing with his public ministry in Nigeria and is having access to young girls in Nigeria. I do not beleive that St. Patrick\\\'s Society in Kiltegan County Wicklow, Ireland has taken my complaints seriously. I do not trust them, and believe that they are trying to help Richard Burke escape prosecution and justice for the crimes he has committed.

Personally the allegations lacks substance. How can you claim that you were molested in a relationship in which you enjoyed until it was discovered that you were been cheated upon? how can you also claim that you suffered trauma when there was no evident case of rape? I really feel this lady is up to mischief. Make open your take on this.

Pedophile ? Pastor burketete, what a disgrace to Holy Ghost cemetry

the lady like oyibo men sha! Her husband is also white.

seriously though I have no idea how they'll resolve this case.

make this woman no get the rev fathers in trouble oh

Whether she enjoyed the relationship or not is not the question here.The issue here is that the priest if found guilty should face the full punishment by the law & church.The letters & emails he wrote will be used to nail him as pedophile & a hypocrite.

@ zugoboss
When an allegation is brought forward, it will take an intelligent and probing minds to reveal loopholes. See the claims by urself na. This woman is not sincere.

lexio:

@ zugoboss
When an allegation is brought forward, it will take an intelligent and probing minds to reveal loopholes. See the claims by urself na. This woman is not sincere.

Would you not rather think that the Archbishop is only human after-all and exposed to the same human difficulties that Jesus Christ himself faced as a human. only difference is that Jesus Christ had a goal above his human nature and to the benefit of man rather than religion

My problem in all of this is her saying that she came from a muslim family. How did she get entangled with Trinity? The lying doctrine that looks good only on the tongue and on paper to seduce the gullible souls!

If the public face of Christianity, a notable reverend cant keep his fly closed, while pretending to be celebated, what do we expect from others, except free will sex of anything goes, as long as you believe in the "ghostly" crucifixion, etc?

I weep from my heart for Islam, and I blame the so called leadership which have done shuddy job of not protecting its own, creating communities and atmosphere of harmony and happiness and comradry among the worshippers, so that they do not have too many stray and lonely sheep which the wolves of disbelief, as in the above easily snatch up and devour without a single drop of blood to trace her former existence.

Shame on the Burke guy; the last I know, even in my days, 18 years old boy didnt sleep with a 14 year old girls. Here we are, a darn "nejess" came from the bayou of europe to abuse nigerian and african women; a people with solid culture! Where were the shepards; the parents, when they tended not a single effort to now how the lamb was fairing that a wolf in black sheep clothing and a white collar for a bell to announce its coming, all watered up in the mouth, can just kill a soul like that? Shame on te parents I say, and I did not expect better from the Christians anyhow, since they can accept 3 gods for 1, so whats the big deal, if their women in their culture is defiled?

@ olabowale

How did she get entangled with Trinity? The lying doctrine that looks good only on the tongue and on paper to seduce the gullible souls!

Don't u think your going to far by making ridicule the catholic believe of Trinity? You were supposed to look at the logicality of the above claim. It appears your a muslim who knows nothing about other religious background and depends on hear say. Islam has its own theology just as the catholic Church has hers also. After all you cant claim ignorance of the many terrorist attacks perpetuated  by some muslim folks all in the name of Allah. Kindly face the issue on ground.

It is only God that can judge

lexio:

@ olabowale
Don't u think your going to far by making ridicule the catholic believe of Trinity? You were supposed to look at the logicality of the above claim. It appears your a muslim who knows nothing about other religious background and depends on hear say. Islam has its own theology just as the catholic Church has hers also. After all you cant claim ignorance of the many terrorist attacks perpetuated  by some muslim folks all in the name of Allah. Kindly face the issue on ground.

You should learn to expect that some posters are merely leveraging on situations to propagate some rarely hidden (mostly overt) doctrines of religion to either further deception and spread ignorance rather than propagate peace, enlightenment and tolerance

My people what is wrong is wrong. And in islam, I do condemn terrorism and terrorists, as if they are not Muslilms, since the ideology is not Islamic. And my mother was a Christian for almost 80 years, and I went to Christian schools, roommated with christians, married one, and many times did I read the devotional passages from the Bible.

You cant say that I know about Christianity through hear-say, with my taking BK in WAEC. Yes? My people, how do you not get upset that a filthy man came to Nigeria and abuse our women, when no Nigerian can do that in their own land without being arested and jailed? I know, because I am living among them, that is my issue, and of course, I am a MUSLIM!

no biggie abeg

tpia.:

no biggie abeg

it's time these catholic priests are allowed to marry.

celibacy oaths are bullshit

bawomolo:

it's time these catholic priests are allowed to marry.celibacy oaths are bullshit

abi jare. But do you think the allegation contains any substance at least logically speaking?

you as a woman wants women in general to be just appetizer for those who say they will never participate in the goodness of it? abeg don beg me, its a biggie big time.

whether the story lacks substance or not, it is a fact that "fathers" in the catholic church here in Nigeria sexually molest/abuse young girls.

I personally know someone;a girl, who was molested sexually here in nigeria by one of the priests of her parish for close to two years when she was between the ages of 11 and 12.

She hasn't made it public yet;I'm the only one she has told so far.
I convinced her to report the case so something should be done about the priest or else,other young girls would be subjected to the same trauma.
She agreed but is yet to go public with it.

ttalks:

whether the story lacks substance or not, it is a fact that "fathers" in the catholic church here in Nigeria sexually molest/abuse young girls.

I personally know someone;a girl, who was molested sexually here in nigeria by one of the priests of her parish for close to two years when she was between the ages of 11 and 12.

She hasn't made it public yet;I'm the only one she has told so far.
I convinced her to report the case so something should be done about the priest or else,other young girls would be subjected to the same trauma.
She agreed but is yet to go public with it.

Ye! another bomb ready to detonate This will really make healines. But the fact remains that some people cook up false stories to get at these catholic priest. However I don't deny the fact that some of them are morally culpable. what diocese did this abomination occur?

Bunch of trash, here say. Why did she not publish the correspondence between herself and the Bishop since she kept record of their conversations and letters. That is the best way to ridicule the Bishop.

She was molested by the Bishop when she was 14, she also got married and continued communicating with the Bishop. Is it that easy to have assess to the Catholic Bishop now? I am a Catholic and the Bishop NEVER goes out alone, he is always accompanied by someone.

With all the priests, Bishops and now Archbishops involved in sex abuse what amazes me is that the Catholic church is still operating as a church.

Spyker:

Bunch of trash, here say. Why did she not publish the correspondence between herself and the Bishop since she kept record of their conversations and letters. That is the best way to ridicule the Bishop.

She was molested by the Bishop when she was 14, she also got married and continued communicating with the Bishop. Is it that easy to have assess to the Catholic Bishop now? I am a Catholic and the Bishop NEVER goes out alone, he is always accompanied by someone.

We are thinking alike.

Zagazigi

oh people of cross, i invite u to the religion of peace

y did muhammed ( curse be upon him ) molested 9yrs old girl

Interesting conversation here. First of all, when a story involving more than one person breaks, the person who speaks first gains an (usually undue) advantage because we get to hear only one side of the matter, and make judgments thereby. Imagine you hear another side, your conclusions might be different.

Secondly, if the bishop in question has any concern not to cause (further) scandal for his people (flock, dependents, etc), he will likely decide to remain silent. This will further fuel the undue advantage already talked about above. Some will ask that he "speak", so that they can hear the other side.

Someone here says, "Celibacy oaths are bullshit". I beg to disagree. If there are allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against some members of the clergy (please note "some"), it is not a problem of celibacy, for after all the candidate for the priesthood was fully aware of this before he undertook to be ordained. Celibacy implies a permanent commitment, that cannot be changed at will. The ability to make permanent life-long commitments is what differentiates us from animals and other irrational beings.

The same person who believes that "celibacy oaths" is to blame for sexual abuses is simply being naive. A married man who wants to be unfaithful to his wife will be, irrespective of the marriage VOW he took - same goes for the woman. So you see, it is not a question of a vow, but of a willingness to struggle to remain faithful forever. Some do, some do not!

That said, rest assured that the competent authorities will sort this matter out properly.

@Luvola: « #23 on: October 27, 2009, 02:44 PM »

y did muhammed ( curse be upon him ) molested 9yrs old girl

If you are a woman, when your husband sleeps with you, and you did protest, while you voluntarily participated, including the pre-intimacy, is that considered molestation just because some person simply proposes that? If you are a man, and you sleep with your much younger wife, with the same condition, is that also rape or molestation?

There is a prayer in Islam which the muslim makes; Salatul Alal Ibrahimma (AS) made at Tashahuud. There is also added prayers below after the prayer seeking protection from the trials of anti-christ, the grave, live and death and Hell;

1). Allahumma Sally Ala Muhammad, Kamma sally aleyhi Kulla Naas, wa asally ala Muhammad kamma lam an yusalli Aleyhi Kulla Naas

This bolded is simply saying Oh Allah bless Muhammad (AS) as much as the number of those of mankind who do not wish him blesss. Luvola, your curse has been turned to a great blessing on Muhammad by this supplication from "many Muslims!" While the Christians are so much afraid that they always do "return to sender", we in Islam by Allah, are confident that we simply pray that any curse becomes a thing that will not be accepted!

The full prayer I make in my final Tashahuud before I teslim out of Salah. After the bolded, th prayer continues;

2). Allahumma sally Ala Muhammad Kamma armartuk alayhi.
3). Allahumma sally Ala Muhammad Kamma Tuhibu alayhi.
4). Allahumma sally Ala Muhammad Kamma Yambaghi anyu salla Alayhi.

The Christian doctrine is nothing less than a license to commit crimes. It tells them they can commit every kind of despicable act and sin, even as Christian priests continue to sexually molest young boys and girls, as long as they repent just before they die and believe that Jesus already took all their sins away when he died 2,000 years ago. So blatant is their attitude about child molestation that these priests have named their place of living and molestation as a 'seminary' and 'rectory', alluding unashamedly to the rectum and the depositing of their semen.

@ttalks :« #16 on: October 23, 2009, 07:55 AM »  

whether the story lacks substance or not, it is a fact that "fathers" in the catholic church here in Nigeria sexually molest/abuse young girls.

I personally know someone;a girl, who was molested sexually here in nigeria by one of the priests of her parish for close to two years when she was between the ages of 11 and 12.

She hasn't made it public yet;I'm the only one she has told so far.
I convinced her to report the case so something should be done about the priest or else,other young girls would be subjected to the same trauma.
She agreed but is yet to go public with it.

And you did not take the effort of confronting the priest about this? If I were in Nigeria and I hear something like this, the police would have heard about it long time. Further, I would have walked up to that clergy to slap his face so hard that he will not be able to turn the other cheek!

I remember a senior boy in high school who simply mentioned my older sister's name in passing conversation. The next thing he knew what my palm kissing his face for being careless in speech about my family member in my presence.

<quote from Horus>

let me briefly address another false teaching of Paul that the Christians like very much. It's the false doctrine of salvation by faith alone. This false doctrine claims that you'll live eternal life in 'heaven' with Jesus if you only accept that he died for all your sins. You don't have to do anything else. Just believe that, and you're free and clear to fly all the way to 'heaven'. It doesn't matter if you were a murderer or rapist, a child molester, a slaver or a genocidal maniac. All you have to do just before you die, is to say, "Jesus, I accept you as the son of God who died for all my sins", and off to heaven you go. This doctrine is the chief cause of all the evil that Christian white men and women have committed against black people, especially the twin evils of slavery and colonialism. They committed unspeakable crimes against our people, knowing fully well that they were sinning, and at the same time planning to accept Jesus as their 'savior' just before they died as a way to buy their ticket into heaven. [size=18pt]This doctrine is nothing less than a license to commit crimes. It tells them they can commit every kind of despicable act and sin[/size], even as Christian priests continue to sexually molest young boys, as long as they repent just before they die and believe that Jesus already took all their sins away when he died 2,000 years ago. So blatant is their attitude about child molestation that these priests have named their place of living and molestation as a 'seminary' and 'rectory', alluding unashamedly to the rectum and the depositing of their semen.

<quote from Davidylan>

Romans 6:1 [size=18pt]What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried [/size] with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

agboifo:

Interesting conversation here. First of all, when a story involving more than one person breaks, the person who speaks first gains an (usually undue) advantage because we get to hear only one side of the matter, and make judgments thereby. Imagine you hear another side, your conclusions might be different.

Secondly, if the bishop in question has any concern not to cause (further) scandal for his people (flock, dependents, etc), he will likely decide to remain silent. This will further fuel the undue advantage already talked about above. Some will ask that he "speak", so that they can hear the other side.

Someone here says, "Celibacy oaths are bullshit". I beg to disagree. If there are allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against some members of the clergy (please note "some", it is not a problem of celibacy, for after all the candidate for the priesthood was fully aware of this before he undertook to be ordained. Celibacy implies a permanent commitment, that cannot be changed at will. The ability to make permanent life-long commitments is what differentiates us from animals and other irrational beings.

The same person who believes that "celibacy oaths" is to blame for sexual abuses is simply being naive. A married man who wants to be unfaithful to his wife will be, irrespective of the marriage VOW he took - same goes for the woman. So you see, it is not a question of a vow, but of a willingness to struggle to remain faithful forever. Some do, some do not!

That said, rest assured that the competent authorities will sort this matter out properly.

I concor.

Before nko?In a lawless country like nigeria,paedophilia is some times seen as a favor from to the rich pervert to the child victim's family,a way of helping out the abjectly poor muderfuckers.It is more or less a norm,just like corruption.

Na today