Merrillville, Indiana, August 21, 2018
Patheos A 1,400-page grand jury report released by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on August 14 names at least 300 Catholic priests accused of sexually abusing over 1,000 children going back up to 30 years.
In the wake of its release and the broad media coverage of it, passions and tensions are understandably running high. However, those passions can be misdirected and have led to, in at least one case, an attack on an innocent priest.
According to a message from the Parma Eparchy of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America, Fr. Basil Hutsko of St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church in Merrillville, Indiana was brutally attacked after celebrating the Sunday service. The attacker referenced clergy sexual abuse, yelling “This is for all the kids!” as he choked and slammed Fr. Basil’s head on the ground.
The eparchy’s full message, posted on Patheos, reads:
PRAYER REQUEST:
Fr. Basil Hutsko was attacked and knocked unconscious this morning in the altar servers sacristy at his parish in Merrillville, Indiana after celebrating Liturgy. The attacker choked him and slammed his head to the ground. Fr. Basil lost consciousness. Before going unconscious Fr. Basil heard the attacker say, “This is for all the kids!” (reference to the clergy sex abuse coverage in the media.)
All clergy are now targets and need to be vigilant. However it must also be clear that Fr. Hutsko was a random target. He is NOT guilty of any sex abuse.
Fr. Hutsko is being examined in the hospital at this time.
Thank you,
Fr. Thomas J. Loya
Given that Byzantine Catholic clergy and parishes tend to resemble Orthodox clergy and parishes moreso than those of the Latin Rite, and given the attacker’s lack of discernment between Latin and Byzantine Rite priests, Fr. Thomas’ words on vigilance could, unfortunately, apply to Orthodox clergy as well.
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