{"id":111406,"date":"2020-12-09T17:10:12","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T15:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/thefreethinker\/?p=111406"},"modified":"2020-12-09T17:10:12","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T15:10:12","slug":"ny-priest-caught-watching-gay-porn-accused-of-sexual-assault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thefreethinker\/2020\/12\/ny-priest-caught-watching-gay-porn-accused-of-sexual-assault\/","title":{"rendered":"NY priest, caught watching gay porn, accused of sexual assault"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

A \u2018CELEBRITY\u2019 New York priest, who last year expressed horror that Ireland had sunk into a mire of immorality by turning its back on Catholicism and choosing a gay leader, allegedly sexually assaulted a young woman who caught him watching hard core gay porn in his office.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Image via YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Irish Central,<\/em><\/a> Fr George Rutler, above, a \u201cprominent conservative priest\u201d and a host on a host on Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN<\/a>), a Catholic TV channel, is being investigated for assaulting a security guard he hired \u2013 Ashley Gonzalez, 22.<\/p>\n

IC<\/em> recalled that in March 2019 Rutler used an appearance on EWN to:<\/p>\n

Slam the Irish government\u2019s Deputy Leader Leo Varadkar for being gay, attacked Irish clergy as weak, and dismissed decades of sex abuse scandals in Ireland\u2019s Catholic Church as \u2018peripheral.\u2019<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At the time The Irish Times<\/em><\/a> reported that Rutler said Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was \u201celected while publicly living in perverse contempt of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony\u201d, and \u201cDruids returned and defiantly danced in the streets when abortion was legalised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rutler, a priest of the St Michael the Archangel Church in New York, said the state of the Catholic Church in Ireland was:<\/p>\n

A warning to Catholics in the United States, because such is what happens when religion is only a political and ethnic sentiment.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, after the accusation was leveled at Rutler, EWTN booted him off the channel, and he\u2019s been suspended as a priest.<\/p>\n

Thoughts and prayers<\/h3>\n

In a statement sent to Religion News Service<\/em><\/a> (RNS), a spokesperson for EWTN said the network is aware of the allegations and has suspended the priest\u2019s programming as the investigation unfolds.<\/p>\n

Father Rutler, has been a program host and guest on the Network for many years. Consistent with our policies, EWTN has placed any programming featuring Father Rutler on hiatus at this time while we await the results of the investigations into these allegations. We encourage our audience to pray for all who are affected by this situation.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Despite Rutler\u2019s denials, the Archdiocese of New York said he has ceased operating as a priest for the time being.<\/p>\n

Father Rutler, after discussions with the archdiocese, has voluntarily stepped away from his duties as pastor for the good of the parish and the archdiocese. He does not have an assignment at this time. He is not serving as a priest. The archdiocese is fully cooperating with the District Attorney\u2019s office in its investigation.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So what led to Rutner\u2019s fall from grace? The Bronx\u2019s News 12<\/em> provides the salacious details, warning its report \u201cmay be disturbing for some.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Screenshot via News 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gonzalez, above, claims that, not only did she catch Rutler, 75, watching gay porn in his office, she used her phone to film him doing so. Recalling her second day on the job at the church on November 4, Gonzalez said:<\/p>\n

He looked at me with a smile, looked away, and he put his hand inside his pants, and he was playing with himself.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She said she tried to leave the priest\u2019s office, but he slammed the door shut.<\/p>\n

He aggressively threw himself on me and grabbed me sexually, aggressively, and I was fighting him off of me.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gonzalez added that she sent frantic text messages to her mother begging for help.<\/p>\n

She called on Black Ops Private Investigators to help her file a police report for forcible touching. They\u2019re now calling for Father Rutler\u2019s arrest.<\/p>\n

Said Manuel Gomez, of Black Ops Private Investigators, said at the time:<\/p>\n

Why is he still here? He should not be here. He is a threat to the parishioners.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gonzalez, meanwhile, said she is losing trust in the church.<\/p>\n

I was raised to respect them and look up to them, and now I\u2019m disgusted.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The RNS points out that Rutler has written several books and is well-known outside his parish: Since 1988, he has hosted a show on EWTN and has long been a critic of Democratic politicians, used phrases such as \u201csodomites\u201d and \u201chomosexualists\u201d to describe LGBTQ people. He once argued that the Vatican under Pope Francis:<\/p>\n

Has become a theological Chernobyl.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 Please report any typos\/errors to barry@freethinker.co.uk<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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