"Some of the accusations are true, but so what? I was a priest - a good priest - who had a weakness."īurkholder, who was labeled Michigan's worst pedophile priest by Wayne County Prosecutor Michael Duggan, was sentenced to jail after pleading no contest to two second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. "In an interview published by the Detroit News in August, Burkholder, 82, admitted that he had had sexual encounters with "maybe a dozen or two" boys between the ages of 11 and 14, but contended that they were consensual. Robert Burkholder, who returned to Michigan from retirement in Hawaii this month to face charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 1986." The group, which he said has raised $100,000 and applied to the Internal Revenue Service for charitable status, is assisting the Rev. "In Detroit, Maher said he does not attempt to determine whether a priest is innocent or guilty before providing financial help from Opus Bono Sacerdotii.
"In cases where legal procedures in civil, criminal or canon law are required: A client's innocence or guilt is not a determining factor in obtaining assistance from OBS" But according to their website, OBS cares nothing about whether their clients are innocent or guilty (excerpt): OBS and its Ave Maria supporters might claim that the mission of the organization is to support accused innocent priests who are defending wrongful allegations. The organization's expense-to-charity ratio does not speak well for how OBS is run, particularly when one considers OBS's other non-salary expenses, like $17,000 for "chapel" in 2005/2006 combined (Why does an organization with one employee need a private chapel?) The next year, Maher was given a raise of over $30,000, pumping his compensation up to $137,341. IRS 990s show that Maher received $106,000 compensation as OBS's President in 2005 that same year, OBS spent $93,835 on what they called "food, shelter and clothing for indigents". This "outplacement service" is a relatively lucrative job for Maher. Today, over 2,000 priests have contacted Opus Bono Sacerdotii for assistance, with more calling on a weekly basis." Translation: OBS helps to quietly shuffle around pederast priests.Īccording to the OBS website, Joseph Maher helped start the organization in Detroit in 2002 after "he received much public attention for his staunch support of a priest from his parish who was accused of rape. "Outplacement services" for "sensitive situations"?
The University's Founders Club, which was established by Tom Monaghan (NY Times, ), advertised that the purpose of OBS was "to find solutions to sensitive situations confronting priests and religious in accordance with the authentic teaching of the Church." IRS records show that the self-described exempt purpose of OBS is to offer "outplacement services for Roman Catholic priests and religious men and women for the purpose of providing a transition from one position to another". Ave Marias Pass for Pederast Priests, AveWatch, Īccording to Ave Maria University's website (screen capture), the AMU Founder's Club hosted a visit from the President of "Opus Bono Sacerdotii" (OBS), Joseph Maher, one year ago this past Friday (December 19).