St. Francis Prep, People Know the Truth

We received the letter below on our hell@burnandrotinhell.com email address from a St. Francis Prep alumnus. We just want to say two things. Thank you to the man who wrote it, and that if you want to expose scandal or corruption, please use our website. Burnandrotinhell.com is going in that direction and we will help you any way we can.

Hello

I am just becoming aware of your website\blog....my eyes have been glued to it. A friend of mine made me aware of the article in the DN today. So many memories surfacing... I was at Prep in the 90s...I often tell people the stories of what went on there, often in the comparisons of Catholic School vs Public School. How my Catholic School was by far worse than most public schools. Sex in the school, woods.....every drug known to man, kiddie touchers....kid\teacher relationships.....you name it, all there.

I'm taking a break from your site....baffled, not really sure I know how I feel.

So many of the people you've listed here...I've had my own experiences with, nothing that would warrant a legal action...but experiences none the less. I was on the football team, acted the part then, very vocal...most in the administration would say I was a troublemaker then. I was sent home for an at home suspension for conduct the school did not find appropriate. How ironic....though, I remember thinking then, I had no voice, no power....yes, I did wrong, but I knew then a lot of the nonsense that went on and I knew they were all Hippocrates to judge me. My own defiance as a kid I guess...I was aware enough to know, they had no moral standing over me.

Stenger was a perv, yes...if you went to prep with him around...you knew that. By the time I was around he was old and quiet, we used to make fun of him openly to his face. Bro Ben....another character, what amazes me is how open this all was back then. Won't lie...we, young boys, all thought it was funny then. Now grown...with Children of my own, its a new paradigm...I'm sure there were children, less emotionally stronger than I who were victimized. I am feeling a sense of guilt, I guess.

There is a Brother not mentioned yet, Brother Domenic...he was another one. I used to say if there was ever to be a scandal, it would most definitely involved him. I had a personal encounter with him where he once told me I was muscular...I made it clear to him that he should never touch me again. He was never the same to me afterwards....kept his distance while being friendly with other football players. Little did he know that then, we were all mocking him...we knew what he was about. We were that kind of crowd....All of these characters were always the butt of our jokes. There are parts of me that think these guys, hiding in their robes or suits actually thought they were being suave with us. Little did they know...

I did have good memories at that school, I have to say....there were good people there, some good teachers. Not all of them were like what is being portrayed. I would love to hear what they have to say.

I guess I wanted to write you and thank you for what you've done here....you should be proud. It sounds like you're getting some anonymous hate mail...well, here is a anonymous thank you mail. You're somewhat inspiring me...

This St. Francis Prep Sexual Abuse Survivor Wants You to Know His Story

As a result of the recent Daily News article about the lawsuits against St. Francis Prep, This St. Francis Prep sexual abuse survivor contacted attorney Kevin Mulhearn and he wants you to know his story. He also has this message:

TESTIMONIAL:

I am a sexual abuse survivor.

 

For personal reasons, I will remain anonymous for now.  I graduated Saint Francis Prep in 1985, one year prior to Mark Evangelista. I along with several other boys were taken on dozens of weekend trips (in a school van) by a Franciscan brother, Brother Joseph Mussa.  These trips were to see professional hockey games in places like Boston, Philadelphia and Hartford. It was this brother and 4 of us boys. Common sense would have the hotel rooms having two double beds for us boys and a rollaway cot for him. He never allowed that, it was one of the boys on the floor and one of the boys in a bed with him. Wrestling in underwear lead to nighttime genital fondling until after about a year I was able to find the strength to break away from the group. I told St. Francis Prep's Principal, Brother Richard McCann, and Brother Joe was transferred to a school in Brooklyn where I believe he taught for a number of years.

 

I buried these horrific memories for over 15 years. Like so many victims I drank excessively and made poor decisions that led to a 3 year prison term in 2001. It was in prison where a therapist confronted me and stated that it was her opinion I had been sexually abused, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I was not ashamed for the first time in my life and was able to finally talk about it. Upon my release I felt empowered and immediately scheduled a meeting with the Superior General of the Franciscan Brothers at their headquarters in Brooklyn, NY. I thought I would be met with doubt and skepticism. I told the Superior General that I would take a lie detector test and would demand this brother take one as well. I guaranteed I would pass and he would fail and that if that was not the case I would leave his office and he would never hear from me again. I could only imagine he knew my claims were legitimate because he said a lie detector test would not be necessary and that he wanted to help me. He encouraged me not to go public due to public scrutiny to my family but that I should continue my therapy. He gave me thousands of dollars on two different occasions, checks in which I have copies of. Brother Joe also gave me thousands of dollars.

 

I am interested in finding out if anyone else was abused by Brother Joe, either before or after I reported him to St. Francis Prep.   It concerns me a great deal that by not responding to my allegations appropriately, St. Francis Prep may have permitted this man to go free and sexually assault other innocent children.  I also wonder whether any persons reported Brother Joe to St. Francis Prep administrators before I was assaulted by him.  I wonder whether all the pain I have suffered from could have been avoided if St. Francis Prep officials had been more caring and compassionate to the needs of children like myself.

To all victims of sexual abuse out there, let me say "hang in there, it will get better."  So stay strong.

Abuse and Defamation Lawsuits Filed Against St. Francis Prep in Federal Court Yesterday

Update: June 16, 2013: As of Friday, as a result of the Daily News Article below, and this blog, there are now five abuse victims seeking legal action against St. Francis Prep in addition to the two former student plaintiffs in the original complaint. That makes seven so far. All seven are different harassers/abusers. We encourage you to come forward if you were hurt as a student at St. Francis Prep! Please read below.

Finally, the first round of lawsuits have been filed against St. Francis Prep for multiple causes of action. If you would like to read the complaint, you will find it here:

Federal Complaint Against St. Francis Prep

To read today's Daily News Article, click here:
Sports Investigative Team Article

It is disturbing, and sad, and hard to digest. It would have been easier if Prep had just done the right thing from the beginning years ago. But all we can do is move forward, and seek justice for people who have been hurt.

Attorney Kevin Mulhearn is already working on the second round of lawsuits, including a plaintiff who had several surgeries as a result of abuse she suffered at St. Francis Prep.

If you feel that you have been injured in any way by St. Francis Prep, we encourage you to contact us at our website email, hell@burnandrotinhell.com, or call Kevin Mulhearn's office at (845)398-2346.

Thank you.