"Punishing the Wayward:


"Flores Has Disciplined Nine Priests, but Still Faces Some Criticism"


A free - wheeling adaption from this source: BishopAccountability.org . Their cite:


"By J. Michael Parker
"San Antonio Express - News [Texas]
"April 28, 2002.

"In the past 16 years, San Antonio's Catholic archdiocese has dealt with nine wayward priests, including four indicted on child molestation charges and a priest who admitted three years ago to several affairs with women and who fathered a child when he was pastor of a local church.

"[Archbishop Patrick] Flores is still vulnerable to criticism.

"A Survey USA poll conducted for [San Antonio's] KSAT - TV showed last week that 40 percent of adult Catholic respondents disapprove of how he has addressed the issue of sexual misconduct by priests, while 28 percent support his handling of it.

"The survey had a margin of error of 5.7 percent."

At least one suspended priest got through that net....

"Any priest coming to the archdiocese from elsewhere must have both the permission and recommendation of his bishop or religious superior, and Flores said he relies on that.

"But at least one suspended priest, Father Mark Matson, got through that net.

"A member of the Theatine Fathers religious order, he celebrated Mass at several local parishes in 1999 without requesting or receiving faculties from the archdiocese.

"He returned to Hawaii in 2000 and was convicted of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault stemming form a 1998 incident involving a 13 - year - old boy.

"Matson is now serving a 20 - year sentence..."