Monsignor Fushek, LifeTeen founder, arrested
A charismatic priest who once held a high position with the Diocese of Phoenix was arrested this morning.
Monsignor Dale Fushek, once the highly popular, magnetic pastor of St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Mesa, was being booked at the Madison Street Jail, according to Bill FitzGerald, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
An official with Maricopa County Superior Court says Fushek is facing 10 misdemeanor counts. He is charged with three counts of assault, two counts of indecent exposure, and five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Fushek founded Life Teen, a popular Catholic youth ministry that swept the nation, in 1995. He also served as vicar general under former Bishop Thomas O'Brien.
FitzGerald said a news conference is scheduled at 1:30 p.m.
Lots of LifeTeen dissing below, with some dissenting voices. Lifeteen liturgies are problematic for some, and, like any youth ministry program is fraught with potential issues and risks. But compared to what preceded it - the horrible Zanzig Sharing program and its imitators, LifeTeen is infinitely superior. It's also Eucharist-centered and doctrinally sound. And if you take a look at the LifeTeen website, I seriously doubt many of you will find much to argue with. Of interest, for example, this commentary by a teacher at the Long Island high school that cancelled the prom.
In the extended post, an excerpt from the charges:
COUNT 2:
The Introduction is hereby incorporated by reference. DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK, on or between the 19th day of June 1985, and the 19th day of June 1987, encouraged or contributed to the delinquency of MARC TROPIO, a minor, by engaging in a pattern of conduct on the property and premises of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, while defendant was a priest at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, involving numerous sexually related discussions as well as physical contacts made with MARC TROPIO. The sexually related discussions included questions by defendant about MARC TROPIO’S masturbatory conduct and/or other sexual activities. At the time of many of these discussions, DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK misrepresented them as part of the Catholic sacrament of confession. The physical contacts included defendant inviting MARC TROPIO into his bed then engaging in kissing and snuggling. Said contact was unwelcome by MARC TROPIO, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-3612, 13-3613, 13-3614, 13-707, and 13-802. COUNT 3: 3
The Introduction is hereby incorporated by reference. DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK, on or between the 22nd day of December 1984 and the 22nd day of December 1988, encouraged or contributed to the delinquency of CARL MAWHINNEY, a minor, by engaging in a pattern of conduct on the property and premises of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, while defendant was a priest at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, involving numerous sexually related discussions with CARL MAWHINNEY about his masturbatory conduct and/or other sexual activities. At the time of many of these discussions, DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK misrepresented them as part of the Catholic sacrament of confession, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-3612, 13-3613, 13-3614, 13-707, and 13-802. COUNT 4: The Introduction is hereby incorporated by reference. DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK, on or between the 9th day of March 1987, and the 9th day of March 1990, encouraged or contributed to the delinquency of MARC OLSEN, a minor, by engaging in a pattern of conduct on the property and premises of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, while defendant was a priest at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, involving numerous sexually related discussions with MARC OLSEN about his masturbatory conduct and/or other sexual activities. Defendant asked MARC OLSEN about his sex life, discussing erections and masturbation before inviting him to join him in a hot tub on the property and premises of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-3612, 13-3613, 13-3614, 13-707, and 13-802. COUNT 5: The Introduction is hereby incorporated by reference. DALE JOSEPH FUSHEK, on or between the 9th day of March 1989, and the 9th day of March 1990, in the presence of MARC OLSEN, exposed his genitals and was reckless about whether MARC OLSEN, as a reasonable person, would be offended or alarmed by the act. Specifically, the defendant while a priest at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church invited MARC OLSEN, age 17, back to St. Timothy’s Catholic Church rectory and suggested they use the hot tub on the property and premises of St. Timothy’s Catholic 4 Church. Defendant then pulled his pants off and stood naked, exposing his genitals and watching MARC OLSEN change into a swimsuit, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-1402, 13-3821, 13-707, and 13-802.
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