{"id":720,"date":"2019-08-17T16:34:30","date_gmt":"2019-08-17T21:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/ericbarr\/?p=720"},"modified":"2019-08-17T16:36:16","modified_gmt":"2019-08-17T21:36:16","slug":"jesuit-actor-in-exorcist-movie-accused-of-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/ericbarr\/2019\/08\/jesuit-actor-in-exorcist-movie-accused-of-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"JESUIT ACTOR IN “EXORCIST” MOVIE ACCUSED OF ABUSE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Morally Compromised NY Governor and Legislature Destroy Reputations<\/h2>\n

There has been no investigation, yet.\u00a0 There is not yet a credible allegation.\u00a0 There are no other accusations against this man.\u00a0 Yet the New York Law which went into effect yesterday has destroyed a priest\u2019s reputation callously and totally without evidence.\u00a0 The state justice system that allows innocent babies to be wiped out of existence, now also allows people to be accused of supposed ancient crimes by people who have kept silent until this hour.\u00a0 Fr. O\u2019Malley has been accused of sexual abuse which supposedly happened decades ago.\u00a0 Nothing derogatory has ever been said against him.\u00a0 In the O\u2019Malley case, evidence may be forthcoming, but usually before such public allegations are made an investigation has already occurred.\u00a0 Not so here.\u00a0 The new law has extended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse for a limited time.\u00a0 And from first reports, lots of folks are taking advantage of it.\u00a0 Whether it is the Church, the Boy Scouts, or some other charitable organization, the lust for financial gain will prove to be too much for some.\u00a0 No doubt there will be some credible allegations made, but the New York Legislature and the Governor have turned the quest for justice in this area into a chaotic rugby scrum.\u00a0 Shame on them.<\/p>\n

A Stunning And Suspicious Accusation<\/h2>\n

From everything we know, Fr. William O\u2019Malley, S.J. is a good, decent, and even holy man.\u00a0 A well-respected teacher and author, he has always appeared to be the Jesuit\u2019s Jesuit.\u00a0 The character he played in the Exorcist<\/em> was a small, but crucial one, and he handled it expertly and movingly.\u00a0 Then he went on to teach the Catholic faith to lots of kids and adults.\u00a0 No one ever accused him of abuse\u2026ever.\u00a0 But now some one did.\u00a0 That person alleges that it occurred during the mid-1980\u2019s, in the halls and classrooms of a high school.\u00a0 Think about that for a second.\u00a0 These would be very public places.\u00a0 A long time ago. With no one ever reporting it until now. Some psychiatrists say it is not unusual for victims to remain silent that long.\u00a0 But this is a different case.\u00a0 O\u2019Malley is well-known, has always been in the area, taught at the school where the alleged abuse happened for years before and decades after the accusation.\u00a0 Hard to believe no one knew.\u00a0 Hard to believe this is anything but an attempt at financial gain.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be the first to apologize if I am wrong.\u00a0 But in our justice system, you don\u2019t convict someone without evidence and a trial.\u00a0 Fr. O\u2019Malley has had neither.\u00a0 He is 87 years old.\u00a0 You bet I\u2019m going to sympathize with him until I find out if the accuser has a credible story.\u00a0 He deserves the presumption of innocence from the start.\u00a0 People say, \u201cWhat about the victim?\u201d\u00a0 We do not know there is a victim yet.\u00a0 If and when we do, then we minister to him.<\/p>\n

The Power Of Christ Commands Us<\/h2>\n

On film, Fr. O\u2019Malley played Fr. Dyer, the friend of the exorcist.\u00a0 He supported his friend, the exorcist, as the man struggled with his own demons.\u00a0 He held him as he lay dying after the horrific fall from the window.\u00a0 It was a powerful and moving film.\u00a0 When I went to school in D.C. back in the \u201980\u2019s, all of us went to see that window and the stairs that played so much a part in the finale.\u00a0 It was a very famous landmark.\u00a0 Haunting with a stench of evil.\u00a0 Fr. O\u2019Malley played one of the good guys in the film.\u00a0 I\u2019d like to think he is one of the good guys in real life.\u00a0 And until I am convinced otherwise by facts, I\u2019m going to stand by his side and help keep the devil and the darkness away.<\/p>\n

One of the best lines in the movie was when the exorcist expels the devil with the words, \u201cThe Power of Christ commands you.\u201d\u00a0 In the case of Fr. O\u2019Malley, he deserves people who will scope out the truth and publish it no matter what.\u00a0 And if he is innocent, we all need to shout it from the rooftops.\u00a0 The Power of Christ commands all of us.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s the full article from Rolling Stone<\/em><\/p>\n

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By<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

JON BLISTEIN , August 16, 2019\u00a0 https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/culture\/culture-news\/exorcist-william-omalley-sexual-abuse-allegation-872888\/<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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