Oct

25

Blanco Monk Sentenced To 80 Years For Child Sex Assault

October 25, 2007 | Comments Off

Yesterday a Blanco County jury sentenced a former monk to 80 years in prison Wednesday for four counts of sexual assault on a minor.
Hughes, 57, was convicted Wednesday on four counts of sexual assault of a child. He showed no emotion as the verdict was read by state District Judge Dan Mills. source
Accusers took the […]

Sep

24

State, victim clash over monastery

September 24, 2007 | Comments Off

Author: Zeke MacCormack
Date Published: 9/21/2007
Publication: San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio TX)
JOHNSON CITY — James B. Wright Jr. and prosecutors alternate from allies to adversaries when it comes to the Christ of the Hills Monastery, depending on the case at hand.
Wright’s claims of being molested there a decade ago led to indictments being issued in January […]

Sep

20

Monk’s final pill-popping is detailed

September 20, 2007 | Comments Off

Author: Zeke MacCormack
Date Published: 9/19/2007
Publication: San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio TX)
Before mixing a cocktail of painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs late Sunday, admitted child molester Samuel Greene Jr. had been drinking heavily and was very depressed by the prospect of being ordered to prison at a hearing Friday.
The account of “Father Benedict’s” final hours came from […]

Sep

18

Blanco Monk Found Dead Before Indecency Hearing

September 18, 2007 | Comments Off

This media report ran on KXAN TV in Texas. Another article in the San Antonio Express News gives a full background on the history of the Blanco Christ of the Hills Monastery. Read other articles on Orthodox Reform on the topic of the Blanco Monastery.
Blanco Monk Found Dead Before Indecency Hearing
Date Published: 9/17/2007
Publication: KXAN […]

Jun

1

Monastery, group settle sex suit for $1 million

June 1, 2007 | Comments Off

News in the ongoing case of the Texas based Christ of the Hills Monastery outside Blanco:
A former novice monk who claimed he was molested in the late 1990s at the Christ of the Hills Monastery outside Blanco will get $1 million in a settlement filed Wednesday.
Read the full article

May

2

Avoiding Uncanonical Churches

May 2, 2007 | 5 Comments

When worshiping at Orthodox churches, make sure it is a canonical church in communion with the worldwide autonomous and autocephalous canonical Orthodox churches.
While even canonical churches have their fair share of problems, a schismatic church accountable to no one is more likely to be a haven for abuse than churches who are inter-dependant with other […]

Apr

16

Blanco Tragedy Showcases Need for Caution

April 16, 2007 | 2 Comments

Hugh Fallon, one of five monks awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing minors at a Blanco, TX monastery in the 1990s, has issued a disturbing report on the activities at the Christ of the Hills Monastery.
Fallon claims “its monks bilked worshipers, had sex with each other and used illegal drugs.”
It should be noted that […]

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