His attorney, Michael Manning, said Fushek insists the incidents "never happened" and will fight the charges. . The teenage boys and young men appear to have been associated with Life Teen, a popular youth ministry that Fushek founded in 1985. Authorities say the incidents occurred from 1984 to 1994 and took place at St. Timothy Church in Mesa. Fushek was an influential and well-liked pastor there for 20 years.
Fushek, who later became one of former Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien's two key lieutenants, was not available for comment. Manning said Fushek "will never settle" or agree to a plea bargain in the case.
Fushek was arrested Monday morning at his central Phoenix residence.
Deputy County Attorney Barbara Marshall asked that he be held on $50,000 bond.
"Based on past experience with similar defendants, we feel that flight is a serious risk," Marshall said.
At least three priests accused of sexual abuse in the Valley - Patrick Colleary, Joseph Henn and Joseph Briceno - fled the country and have refused to return to face charges.
We can try this discussion again. Critiquing LifeTeen is fine, but is not the point, and understand that there are many people out there who have fine experiences with LifeTeen and find it to be a great help in growing to maturity in faith.
There's a lot to be said about youth ministry in general, and we've said a lot of it before. And, in this particular case, people, as always, are innocent until proven guilty. But, as frequent commentor and SNAP leader Paul indicates at the end of the linked article, youth ministry program have to be carefully monitored and watched by objective, clear-eyed supervisors who are not caught up in the emotional intensity that so often marks youth ministry, watching out for those who would exploit young people, who seem to be using such ministry to feed their own needs, who are encouraging young people, not to look forward to mature Christian adulthood, but to revel and remained stuck in the muck of adolescent sensibilities.
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