Nicholas Aguilar-Rivera, a Catholic priest, is still hiding in Mexico after first accusation made in 1988 in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES —

By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

He was a monster — and somehow, he was allowed to slip away from Los Angeles back to his native Mexico, not long after the authorities were made aware that the Rev. Nicholas Aguilar-Rivera was a predator.

Aguilar-Rivera in an
undated LAPD photo.

He came to California when he was having “family issues,” and the Archdiocese was all too willing to grant him faculties there. 

And when he got those faculties as a priest, he used them to allegedly abuse about a dozen children — in families that knew him, loved him, cared for him as a priest.

When the first complaint came in, he was simply transferred from that parish to another — where he struck again, and again, and again, and again.

And yet, somehow, inexplicably, the archbishop of Los Angeles at the time, Roger Cardinal Mahony, didn’t demand he turn himself in to the authorities. And because of this, the coward ran home to hide in Mexico — and he’s been doing that — hiding — since around 1988.

The Rev. Thomas Curry, vicar for priests at the time in the archdiocese, immediately upon learning of the accusations, confronted Aguilar-Rivera. He says so, at least, iIn a letter sent to his Mexican bishop.

“I spoke to Father Aguilar-Rivera on Saturday, Jan. 9 (1988), and told him that until a full investigation has taken place, he may not serve in this archdiocese, and that his faculties have been withdrawn,” Curry wrote. “I believe he plans to stay with some family members here and then return to Mexico.”

This letter clearly demonstrates the archdiocese had no plans on ensuring this beast remained here in the United States. The vicar for priests — and thus, the archbishop — were aware a man who faced criminal charges was going to head back to Mexico, where anyone with an iota of common sense would be able to tell you he would hide to avoid and hinder apprehension. 

Curry, in his letter, said he regretted having to inform the Mexican bishop of the charges.

Regretted? Really?

I wonder what he really regretted here. Was it regret a priest was involved in such an atrocity, or was it regret the monster got caught and, as such, would need to be turned over to the authorities?

It gets worse from here

This was the first of many very troubling communications involving Aguilar-Rivera. 

Mahony, in letters and memos, demonstrates a shocking disregard for the victims and ensuring the priest was properly dealt with by police and prosecutors.

His only priority, at first?

Ensuring the victims “got counseling.”

And when the police wanted to talk to “altar boys,” potentially victims, Mahony refused to release their names and contact information to police.

Mahony

“We cannot give such a list for no cause whatsoever,” Mahony wrote by hand in response to a memo received Curry that detailed his dealings with detectives and other law-enforcement agents.

Meanwhile, as all of this was happening, parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Los Angeles, and  St. Agatha’s, Los Angeles, where the abuse was alleged to have happened, were wondering where Aguilar-Rivera was and why he was missing.

Mahoney had the pastors read a brief, cold statement.

“I am extremely saddened by the allegations that have been made,” Mahony said. “Our sympathies go out to the families involved, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will, as always, be available to help families in their time of need.”

Any mention of bringing justice to the families?

None.

Any mention of the abhorrent nature of the priest’s actions? 

None.

It’s as if the crimes were suspect-less. Like the kids deserved what they got.  I understand that’s a harsh thing to say — but that’s how it seems here. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Los Angeles, one of the place where Aguilar-Rivera
is accused of molesting boys of the parish while a visiting priest.

Meanwhile, Curry kept on suggesting counseling.

“If you have any contact with the families involved, do encourage them to go to counseling, and let them know the archdiocese will support them in this and pay for therapy,” Curry wrote to the pastors. 

It’s as if he believed that if the kids and their families would just go to counseling, this would all disappear. Life would return to normal.

And heck, Mahony’s going to pay for it all! How noble!

While Mahony was cooperative with police and with the priest’s presiding bishop in Mexico, it was clear he didn’t want this to be happening. He did, however, cancel some trips so as to be available for meetings with police, as needed.

Meanwhile, as months passed, Aguilar-Rivera was nowhere to be found — and when someone contacted him in Mexico to tell him police were searching for him, he flippantly responded to the call.

“For what?” he asked.

He truly tried to pretend he’d no idea why cops sought him.

Fast-forward to 2004.

Mahony gets word Aguilar-Rivera is improperly serving as a priest in Mexico and he writes a letter to the bishop there to inform him of the possibility a fugitive from justice could be serving the people of a parish in Santa Cruz, Mexico.

In the letter, Mahony strongly suggests Aguilar-Rivera be sent back to California to face the charges if he’s found.

He never was.

He still faces 19 felony charges of committing a lewd act with a child. In fact, charges were also filed in Mexico.

He’s still on the run.

And Mahony, somehow, is not behind bars.

Below: Some of the documents released in the Aguilar-Rivera case. Click to enlarge them. CLICK HERE to read all the Aguilar-Rivera documents (Adobe Reader or Preview for Mac required).

Mahoney's hand-written response for information on altar boys.

A message to parishioners from Mahoney

A published story on Aguilar-Rivera from the LA Times.

Years of neglect revealed in Los Angeles Archdiocesan documents; Mahony must be prosecuted for his neglect

By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

LOS ANGELES —

Roger Mahoney
Retired LA Archbishop

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese this week released a staggering 142 files of priests who were accused of some form of priestly sex abuse on minors. The archdiocese cooperated with the courts in the release.

What can be found in most of the reports reveals an unthinkable culture of lies and coverups. The man in charge, Roger Cardinal Mahony, reveals an utter disdain for having to deal with the accused priests — and in many cases, it appears Mahony wants to do everything within his grasps to ensure the police weren’t involved.

In many cases, the archbishop appears to think all it would take to get the victims to shut up was to “offer them counseling at no cost.” 

Overall, the documents reveal a man who was utterly clueless, a man who truly didn’t realize what a problem his archdiocese was faced with, a man who was extremely ill-equipped to deal with such a crisis — and a man who had absolutely no business running America’s largest Catholic archdiocese.

Since the documents were released, Mahony has been fully stripped of all public duties as archbishop emeritus.

But this is simply not enough.

We’re seeing 142 cases here. Many of Mahony’s actions are criminal in nature. And quite frankly, he must, at some point, be prosecuted for protecting priests, for just re-assigning priests and for permitting countless priests who were accused to go back into ministry elsewhere, rather than facing justice.

Aguilar-Rivera, who fled
to his native Mexico
after being accused
of sexual abuse.

Justice these kids (now adults) so dearly deserve.

Because these cases have finally been released to the public, it is our intention, over the coming months, to share stories about each of the 142 priests whose cases were released. 

We will take them, one by one, starting with the Rev. Nicholas Aguilar-Rivera, a Mexican native whose presence in the Los Angeles Archdiocese led to the abuse and innocence being taken from two youngsters. 

It’s going to take months to do this — but this is an undertaking I want to take on for the sake of the victims — the very people who deserved justice, but who were completely forgotten about by Mahony.

The series will begin in the coming days. Please check back for more.

Larry King put the moves on Katie

Ed Koch, dead at 88

The Canessa Commentary
By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. —

I must have been 5 or so. It was 1979.

I was in the living room with my grandpa, Tom, and as usual, as was the case every day at 5 p.m., we had Channel 4 on for the news. It was likely Chuck Scarborough behind the mic and in front of the camera.

They broke to a story about Ed Koch, the mayor of New York.

"How come he says 'ahhhh' all the time?" I asked my grandpa.

"That's just how he talks," grandpa told me.

Grandpa wasn't the biggest fan of Koch — the mayor was a liberal Democrat, and grandpa was a Republican who loved Richard Nixon.

And yet, despite Grandpa's views of Koch, I loved the man. I was 5, and it was the beginning of a love affair with politics, one I didn't realize was happening at the time, but one I know of now that I look back at it.

There are so many reasons why Ed Koch will go down as one of the most beloved politicians in my lifetime.

Perhaps it's the notion that like me, he came from humbled beginnings in the Bronx (I from Jersey City). Perhaps it's because he told it like it was. Perhaps it was because he cared more for the little guy than he did the big banks and unions.

Perhaps it's because he could be friendly with fans — like everyone in the Democratic Party — and with his foes, like the-late John Cardinal O'Connor, with whom he never saw eye to eye, but who saved him a seat every Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Perhaps it was because every time he spoke, you knew it was coming from his heart, and not form a terribly awful prepared speech laid into a teleprompter.

Most likely, it was just because Ed Koch was seriously just like you and me.

Before he died, Koch told The New York Times he wanted to be remembered as "being a proud Jew who loved the people of the City of New York and did his best to make their lives better."

And that's precisely what he did.

He made the lives of millions of people better.

He restored pride to New York City at a time when the city was burning (Summer of 1977), had no money (Ford to City: Drop Dead), there was no law and order and people just wanted to get the hell out.

After he was mayor, New York was safer. People wanted to stay.

People wanted to come.

And regardless of what your political affiliation is or was, there's no doubt — he truly did make people's lives better.

And our world is short one great man today.

Somehow, I suspect, St. Peter and the Lord are getting an earful right about now — and they're probably close to changing their minds about a lot of things.

Rest in peace, Ed Koch.

Rest in peace.

And thank you for making me love politics like few others could.

One of the final photos taken of Koch, during a recent hospital stay.

A remarkable video obituary for Ed Koch

I will write a reflection of my own later today.

27 years ago today I remember where I was and what I was doing

The Canessa Commentary
By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

KEARNY, N.J. — 

It’s hard to envision it, but it was 27 years ago today.

I was home for lunch — sixth-grade at Schuyler School — as I was on my days. And the memories are so vivid that I can remember having a tuna fish sandwich, with a Capri Sun juice box that day. When I got home, I did as I normally would — I turned on TV to prepare for “Super Password.” But the thing is — “Super Password” was nowhere to be found, because just moments earlier, the Space Shuttle Challenger had blown up.

At the onset, there was mass confusion.

The Challenger Crew

The networks kept showing, over and over, the ball of fire that erupted — and the subsequent fall, from nine miles over the Cape Canaveral skies — debris from the break up.

Over and over, they showed Christa McAuliffe’s parents, both in attendance for the launch on that cold January day, as the explosion happened — and some cheered, thinking it was all part of a great display as the seven astronauts propelled to space.

Over and over, there were questions, concerns — and few answers — as the narrator said what we all saw: “Obviously a major malfunction.”

While we lost a teacher in space that day in McAuliffe, there were six others who also died. I used to know their names by heart — but will admit to looking them up to ensure I got their names spelled correctly.

Liftoff — 28 Jan. 1986

Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka and Gregory Jarvis were the other six.

McNair’s memory is vivid — as I went to high school not far from a school named in his memory, Jersey City’s McNair Academic High School.

All seven lives were lost in service to our nation — and they were what true role models should be. 

That was the one and only day I ever cut a class in grammar school. I was too deeply into watching the coverage that I remained home — my own decision — and did not go back for the afternoon session in sixth-grade. My mother even says, all these years later, she would have told me to stay home if I had asked — which I didn't.

Some 27 years later, you’d never even know there was an anniversary.

Maybe it’s because it really IS 27 years later.

Maybe it’s because in the greater scheme of American tragedies, what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, makes this look microscopic.

But for its day, it was a real American loss. It’s one that, every year on this day, I pause to remember, if even for a few moments.

The debris, falling from the sky — 28 Jan. 1986.

Seven true patriots died on Jan. 28, 1986, just moments into the flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger — a mission that would have seen lessons being taught from space.

Seven lives ended prematurely that day — and some have suggested they may have even survived the initial explosion, only to die on the return to the ocean.

Twenty-seven years later, many have completely forgotten.

All these years later, I’ve never failed to remember them on this day.

And I hope the day never comes that I forget.

Ever.

Boy Scouts may end ban on gay members, leaders

Looks like the Boy Scouts of America are finally getting with the times, and may be close to ending their ban of gay scouts and leaders.

If the change is made, it looks like each individual chapter would decide whether at admit gay members — so this is good news for blue states, not so good in red states.

Click here to read the story from NBC News.

If this doesn't make you think twice about texting and driving...not sure there's anything that will

Couric - Te’o chat leads to more questions than answers

The Canessa Commentary

By KEVIN CANESSA Jr.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. --

I want to believe his every word.

And yet, after an interview with Katie Couric — after hearing him refer to himself as a “kid,” after hearing the story in its entirety (or was it the entire story?) — I cannot help but feel we’re still not hearing the truth. Because I can’t help but think the people who advised him — or supposedly advised him — really did a poor job.

A horrendous job.

To the point where it seems nearly impossible to believe anything he’s said, despite having the reputation of being a wonderful young man, a God-fearing man, who clearly loves his parents, his teammates and the game of football.

To be very clear here — I do not watch college football consistently. In fact, I only watched a few games all year. Ironically, they happened to all be Notre Dame games. I only watched the games because someone else in my household is as huge a Notre Dame fan there is.

I remember some months back when my roommate, at the time, said you’ve got to watch this. It was the piece where his story — of losing his grandma and girlfriend on the same day — aired. It was a remarkable story, one I thought couldn’t even be written for Hollywood. It was too surreal for the big screen even.

Then I recall, during those games I watched, hearing the name Manti Te’o.

“That’s the kid who lost his grandma and girlfriend the same day, right?” I asked.

Still, I really knew nothing of his ability as a football player — not until a few weeks later when Zach Gelb told me he was covering the Heisman Award Ceremony — and that he’d sat down with Te’o for a one-on-one interview.

Fast forward, quickly, to a few weeks ago. The story breaks that it’s all a hoax.

A hoax.

His girlfriend wasn’t real.

We’d later learn whomever she was purported to be was actually someone else — a man.

And yet, on “Katie,” we heard voicemails she allegedly left for Te’o. We heard how distinctly, the voice was that of a woman — not a man. And we learned that, if anything else, as smart as he is on the football field, Manti Te’o is not a very bright man otherwise. And it’s very difficult to say that.

Here’s why.

Many questions remain unanswered — even after the interview.

Despite hearing the woman’s voice — and knowing it — I still cannot help but wonder: Why, over all this time, did Te’o believe her when every single solitary time the two used Facetime, she could see him, but he could never see her? After the third or fourth time, didn’t it start to jive there was an issue here?

When he was of the belief, after he thought she was dead, that she was actually STILL ALIVE, how, in good conscience, could he go on television and numerous radio programs and still refer to losing his girlfriend to cancer THE SAME DAY his grandma died?

When he learned she was still alive, didn’t it ever cross his mind he had to speak up?

Here’s what I saw on “Katie.”

I saw an immensely immature man. I saw a Notre Dame football player who said he was “just a kid,” as if a man’s conscience isn’t formed yet at 21 (tell that to an assignment judge).

I saw a man whose very words begged more questions than they provided answers. I saw a man who, despite every technological advance in the world, never apparently thought that he could conduct a video call with his girlfriend, even though she could always see him on the other end.

I saw a man who had an opportunity to “see” Lennay in San Diego on his way to Hawaii, when he was told she’d been in a car accident, hit by a drunken-driver. He smiled when Katie asked him why he didn’t take a two-hour car drive to see her in hospital, and said it was because he didn’t want to tell his parents he “missed the flight” to see her.  “I didn’t want to test that,” he said.

I saw a man who had answers — absolutely inane answers — to questions that could have vindicated his story.

I saw a man who says his girlfriend came out of her coma while he was on the telephone with her — all while not a single doctor tried to end the call to tend to her, to see how she was doing, having spent days in that coma.

I saw a man who believed that shortly after his girlfriend came out of a coma whilst on the phone with him was soon, thereafter, diagnosed with Leukemia (are cancer tests even administered to comatose patients)?

I saw a man who said he’d known of this “woman” when he was a freshman.

A sophomore.

A junior.

And then in his senior year — when he got to know her better —became her boyfriend.

I saw a man who is as frighteningly immature as anyone I’ve ever seen — and I’ve seen all aspects of the maturity scale as a teacher.

I saw a young man who, at 21, appears to fear the shit out of his father — and to a lesser degree, his mother.

I saw a man who, despite actually thinking something was amuck, did nothing to fix the craziness.

We may never know the real truth of this story. Perhaps he’s telling the truth. Maybe he was just petrified of the truth. Maybe he was looking to increase his visibility. Maybe those voicemails were fake. Maybe they were real.

Regardless, whoever it was behind this mess did an absolutely horrific job of making this all a reality. It was absolutely too much for a Hollywood script — and now, looking back, it was absolutely too much for reality.

And we, the people of America — and the world — completely fell for it.

So maybe we’re the real suckers here.

And all the while, Manti Te’o will continue to smile — all the way to the bank.