Diocese suppresses Society of St. John

By TOM KANE

SCRANTON, PA –— In a surprise move, the Bishop of Scranton, Joseph Martino, issued a decree of suppression of the Society of St. John of Shohola.

The decree effectively forbids the society from serving any religious function in the diocese. The decree appeared in the latest edition of “The Catholic Light,” the diocesan newspaper.

Under Catholic canon law, a diocese has the authority to establish—and suppress—a public association of the faithful.

Martino cited acts of commission and omission regarding sexual allegations by a youth in the society’s charge and increased financial instability as the reasons for the action.

Martino, the successor of Bishop James Timlin, who retired as bishop two years ago, has been bishop for a little more than a year.

Bishop Timlin did not discipline the priests but removed them temporarily from active duty, pending several court actions against them, including an investigation by the diocese. It was not clear if the diocese had completed its investigation. A criminal case against them was dismissed because of the statute of limitations, but a civil case is still pending.

The two priests, Rev. Eric Ensey and Rev. Carlos Urrutigoity, have both maintained their innocence in dealing with the youth. In an unusual court action by the two priests’ attorney, the name of the youth was revealed.

Martino declined to comment because he said the diocese, as well as the society, was involved in a lawsuit over the matter.

The society was established by former members of the Society of St. Pius X in 1997. A year later, Bishop Timlin granted the society status as a public association of the faithful. In granting the new status, Timlin allowed the group, with the permission of the Vatican, to maintain the Latin liturgy, which was followed in churches prior to the Second Vatican Council.

With the assistance of several rich traditional Catholics, the society then moved to its present location on Route 434 in Shohola and had plans to build a “city of believers” with a college that would engender values of the traditional Catholic Church.

The society began having financial problems when several of its benefactors became disenchanted with them and held back their financial support after the youth and his family filed a civil suit.

Principal adversary

The society’s principal adversary is Dr. Jeffrey Bond, one-time associate of the society, who was to be president of The College of St. Justin, Martyr, the educational wing of the society that was never built.

Bond, who has tirelessly opposed the society, severed his association with the society two years ago when, he said, he learned that many of its members were guilty of sexual improprieties with youths under their charge.

“As welcome as the bishop’s long overdue decree is, it is important to note that it is only the first step on the road to justice,” Bond said. “The priests of the suppressed Society of St. John must now be laicized so that they may no longer use the authority of the Roman collar to harm young souls. Moreover, all of their victims must be justly compensated for the wrong done to them. This will happen only when the Diocese of Scranton ceases its legal maneuvering and begins to operate according to the divine law of Jesus Christ.”

Reasons for the suppression

Martino’s letter stated four reasons for suppressing the society:

• The society has shown no progress in attaining its stated purposes, creating instead a “debt-servicing operation.”

• The society has failed to cooperate with the diocese regarding administrative and financial accounting, leaving the bishop “at risk of being charged with failure to supervise if donors to the society judge that they have been deceived.”

• Even if the sexual abuse allegations are proven wrong, “there, nevertheless, have been acts of commission and omission by members of the society in general that have given rise to these allegations and the resultant scandal.”

• The diocese is linked with the tenuous financial situation of the society, including more than $1 million in attorney’s fees and a $2.6 million loan to the organization.

“The society has the right to appeal to the Vatican,” said Rev. Thomas Petro, pastor of St. Ann’s Church in Shohola. “I know for a fact that the leadership of the society is currently in Rome seeking an appeal.”

The Rev. Petro does not expect the Vatican to reverse the ruling of the local bishop.

Phone calls to the press spokesman of the society were not returned.