Rev. Robert Hoatson’s case against Archdiocese of NY dismissed
I received the following media release from Fr. Bob Hoatson by email today and publish it here with his permission.
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MEDIA RELEASE
November 1, 2009
The recent 29 page dismissal of the case of “Hoatson v. the Archdiocese of New York, et al (2009 NY Slip Op 52174 [U]) is indicative of the need for an overhaul of the legislation in
Judge Michael Stallman, who took two years to rule, refused to decide on the facts and merits of the case and dismissed my case based solely on procedural technicalities. Once again, a victim of clergy sexual abuse in
This case should give the New York State Assembly and Senate the motivation to pass legislation that will open the courthouse doors to clergy abuse victims and all other victims of sexual abuse. It’s about time. I knew from the start that my case might have a difficult time simply because of bad laws and bad policies, but if this case helps to convince the NY State legislators to amend the law regarding sexual abuse of the innocent, then it will have won a major battle in the war against corrupt religious and secular institutions.
I thank my courageous and determined attorney, John Aretakis, and all those who supported me through this nearly four-year process. We are considering filing an appeal and pursing other legal options. Please contact me if you need or would like to review the decision.
Rev. Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D.
862-368-2800
Rmhoatson1@msn.com
12 Responses to “Rev. Robert Hoatson’s case against Archdiocese of NY dismissed”
November 2, 2009 at 7:23 pm
There was a time when the Church fathers were interested in knowing the truth. Their Church was interested in only the truth. When the Roman Catholic Church does not wish to learn the truth from one of it’s own who has the knowledge and the experience of abuse and being abused—it clearly sends a message. And that message is… that hierarchy will use every sin that Christ exposed to protect themselves so that they will not be exposed or transparent for what they have become. They have become unCatholic!
Good Luck Father Bob.
November 2, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Father Hoatson lost this battle, but he is, sure-as-shootin’, winning the war.
November 3, 2009 at 1:06 am
I am sorry about the dismissal, Bob. I admire your courage. Thank you for all your selfless work on behalf of clergy abuse survivors. You are a bright light!
November 3, 2009 at 11:14 am
We owe a debt of thanks to brave folks like Bob Hoatson and his lawyer for advancing these cases. Each effort makes a cumulative difference in creating change. It takes courage to stand in the courts of the land against one of the most powerful and corrupt institutions on the planet. Thank you Bob, John Aretakis and all the other brave people who come forward to report the crimes committed by clergy. You are truly changing the world.
November 3, 2009 at 11:46 pm
The abuse scandal reminds us that the Vatican, the Curia, the Bishops and Cardinals can and are as corrupt as any other organization. Unfortunately many souls blindly following the teachings of these wolves in sheep’s clothing and wind up in “hell”. I was blessed to have a retired Jesuit get up every Sunday and remind us of this danger to our spiritual welfare. We are blessed to have some priests willing to sacrifice their careers and fight the corruption in our church. It is appalling that we, the laity, are not willing to do this. With the obvious exception of SNAP and VOTF. As a result, child abuse will not be eradicated from the Catholic Church. It is a continuing disgrace over hundreds of years. No reformer has yet been able to overturn the strangle hold the evil one has on the Vatican, the Curia and the Bishops around the world. I do know from the Bible that God’s awful hand of vengence will only be held back for so long. If the Catholic Church does not reform itself, then it will shrivel up and die until the saints once again take control of it. I fear for Catholics in the next hundred years. But I have hope that saints will arise and reform our Church. Unfortunatley not in my life time. But I can see the martyrs, the priests and nuns who have been shunned by the Church because they dared to speak truth to power. God bless them, their reward will be great in Heaven, but their crucifixion in this life is very real.
November 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm
In the life of St. Francis, a simple person of great faith, he was directed to rebuild the Church and mostly he did this physically while he lived. In this new era of the Church, the laity are requested to do the same…rebuild this Church—they have the knowledge, the technology, and the care…all that is missing is the power. So, rein in the power and get the job done! Baptism is a form of apostolic succession. The baptized laity too, are apostles. When the people begin to take back their churches and decentralize corruption, the Church will breathe new life.
November 6, 2009 at 3:10 am
Speaking of St. Francis,
There was a parish priest who made up a prayer invoking St. Francis’s help to rebuild his church,
and then he left to work for the Vatican Embassy…
I wonder when they are praying for this rebuilding to take place, what kind of rebuilding are they thinking of?.
As far as Saints arising, the Saints are the ordinary souls like yourself who care about their church and do do something about it, in extraordinary ways, (they go against the grain) especially about eradicating clergy sexual child abuse & all the other corruption that plagues the rest of the body of Christianity.
I agree, reform is happening, it may not be the complete turn around in this lifetime, but someday it will.
Just look how many have come so far from their ancestors in taking control of their faith, and not being so dependent upon the clergy for the welfare of their spirituality.
I think the Saints were ordinary people who took a chance to make a difference in the world!,
in which left an extraordinary change for the better!.
November 6, 2009 at 5:19 am
The role of the priest has also changed. They are aloof and do not make home visits as they once did. The sacrament of the sick might be given in a healthcare facility if there is a chaplain on staff…but, they are no longer close to the people of God. What are they afraid of? Do these shepards have an aversion to sheep…or are they afraid of suspicion that might follow their every interaction? Jesus came down to the level of the people who He served, and His saints were ordinary people who were given extraordinary tasks. Some saints were persecuted by the very church that canonized them. Who would have ever thought that we would as Catholic Christians had to worry about a priest being less than ethical? Most do not worry about sexuality. If there are different sexual orientations in the mainstream of humankind…why would the priesthood be immune to this diversity? We worry about competence and that what is…is what it should be religiously. Child sexual abuse by clergy is one thing that will deliver this Church directly to the gates of Hell
November 7, 2009 at 3:04 am
I know of a few who made home visits a few of years ago.
Yeah, who would have ever think that all of the years of devotion & taught that the religious are to be trusted because they are truly “Blessed” being that they are hand picked by God in turn became
a chameleon coat of many colors….
November 7, 2009 at 3:07 am
Did Jesus clean his own house or did he hire cleaning servants?
What kind of income did he live on that he could afford a cleaning service if he did?.
December 29, 2009 at 4:18 pm
I have read the above comments and agree with much of the commentary. Those in charge were l wrong in the way they handled the problem. By trying to avoid a scandal, they created a greater one. All of the men accused, who admitted guilt, should have been sent to places where they would not have contact with children or retired from service. I would also like to say that just because someone is accused it doesn’t make him guilty. I find it very troublsome if the priest accused is dead. In this age of “anything for a buck” it is possible that some Catholics, no longer practicing, saw a way to easy money. I know that if I were ever abused, my father first would have beat the hell out of the priest and then told him to call the police so that my father could relate why he had beat up a priest. All of the victims families should have gone to the police. That’s where you go when a crime is committed, not to the rectory or diocese office with a lawyer. This doesn’t mean I don’t sympathize with the victims. However, victims of crimes should report them to the police, not a lawyer. The victims and their families allowed this to continue by their silence. If they had started screaming at the outset, everyone would have been put on notice. I also think those abused should “get over it”, grow up and stop whining. The story that some Catholics, because they were “good” Catholics, failed to report incidents doesn’t make sense. If you are really a “good” Catholic, you want your church free from scandal. All of these incidents should have been reported to the Bishop, with letters right up the line to the Pope to ensure that it became common knowledge and that everyone would be accountable. That is what my family would have done. I don’t see why others, if they really loved their church, would not take that kind of action. SILENCE GIVES CONSENT
April 26, 2010 at 11:56 pm
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men healing from child sexual abuse and speaking out. Thanks much!