HiddenMysteries: What Would Jesus Do? Rape Kids for Khrist? Those Religious Right Fundamentalists!

Victims of priest's abuse seek accountability from church

BY JP EICHMILLER

Tim Evans is behind bars, but his victims want more.

In interviews with the Coloradoan, Nick Gerber, 26, and Dana Rotkovich, 33, two of the four victims who testified against Evans at his trial earlier this year, say redemption will only come when the Catholic Archdiocese of Denver opens up about what the victims believe the church knew and did to protect Evans.

I think Nick and I realize (Evans' conviction) is only half the battle," Rotkovich said. "If the issue is not brought to people's attention, it is likely to occur again. I really believe there are others out there who have yet to come out."

A spokeswoman denied claims that the archdiocese was less than cooperative with authorities investigating Evans.

"Since law enforcement was first contacted in 2003, the archdiocese has fully complied," said Jeanette DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese. "Throughout the justice process, the archdiocese has acted neutral."

Evans was convicted in March and sentenced in May to 14 years to life in prison for molesting Gerber in 1998 and 1999 while Evans was a priest at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton church in Fort Collins and Gerber was a 17-year-old parishioner. He was given at least four more years after being convicted on a similar charge in Jefferson County.

Evans, who left St. Elizabeth in 2002 and was removed from the priesthood in 2003, said he plans to appeal the conviction. At his sentencing in Larimer County, Evans did not apologize.

"I may love recklessly and foolishly," he said. "But I love unconditionally."

Gerber, who testified during Evans' two trials about instances of improper touching and attempts by the priest to coerce him into not talking, said an uncooperative church administration misled him so that it could protect Evans.

“My biggest issue is that nobody will admit to any wrongdoing,” Gerber said. “The bottom line is that this man has had problems. But it goes back even to his early days in the seminary. And people are starting to come forward with that. And our hope is that people will continue to come forward and say, ‘This is what really happened; this is all a part of a huge cover-up by the archdiocese.’ ”

The Coloradoan typically does not name victims of sexual assault, but Gerber and Rotkovich agreed to disclose their identities.

‘I had suspicions’
Bill Trewartha, a deacon at St. Elizabeth who has been involved with the church for more than two decades, said he became suspicious of Evans while studying sex offender behavior within the priesthood while on a sabbatical in 2000 and 2001 at St. John’s University.

“I had suspicions. I was aware of the fact (Evans) had some issues,” Trewartha said. “They described pedophilia and pedophile behavior and I said, ‘My God, this is Tim Evans.’”

Those characteristics, Trewartha said, were a man with “no pure friends” who “associated with older men” and was “very hyperactive.” By that time, Evans already had been removed from his position. Officials told Trewartha that Evans had been sent to therapy in St. Louis.

The archdiocese declined to comment on that, citing personnel issues.

Without concrete evidence or complaints from possible victims, Trewartha didn’t report his suspicions to anyone.

Trewartha doubts church officials could have done much to prevent someone like Evans from committing his crimes.

“I don’t think it is something you can avoid,” he said. “The same thing happens in police stations, schools, fire departments. And (Evans) was good at manipulating.”

But Gerber said Evans’ position as a priest made his crimes against minors that much more heinous.

“(Evans’) lawyer is quoted as saying that (the accusation) is only because he was a priest,” Gerber said. “You’re d—- right it was only because he was a priest. It wasn’t just a matter of a man sticking his hands down my pants. It was the mental conditioning that went along with that. As a Catholic you are taught that a priest is the closest thing you will see to God so you take his word. When he says, ‘This is what you do and this is normal,’ you’re 17 and impressionable and you’re saying this is OK to a certain extent. But you don’t know what the truths are and what they’re not. You have this person who’s on a pedestal and that’s what you believe.”

Lisa Stadele, a 22-year member of St. Elizabeth and a family friend of the Gerbers, said the family was close to Evans.

“It’s not just like a priest — they were friends,” Stadele said. “They did things that friends do. Evans was a family friend. They had him over for dinner. Priests are people and they need friends. I thought it was neat that they had that relationship.”

But in the summer after the assaults for which Evans would be convicted, Nick Gerber changed, Stadele said.

“I saw the pain in the family,” Stadele said. “That summer, (Nick) started to disconnect. (Nick’s) not overstating what happened. It caused a complete 180 in his behavior.”

Stadele, who has worked with every priest at the church since its inception, called Evans “very controlling.” But she says she couldn’t have predicted what would happen and isn’t sure anyone could have stopped Evans.

“Tim’s behavior is the problem, not priests’ behavior in general,” Stadele said. “I don’t know what anyone could have done. It’s not something you suspect.”

‘I had no knowledge’
In the aftermath of Evans’ conviction, those involved in the scandal want healing. But they’re not sure how to get there or who will lead them.

The Rev. Larry Christensen, the lead pastor and administrator of Saint Elizabeth’s, testified at the trial to being Evans’ best friend, someone for whom he would often cook, clean, shop for and take vacations with. Rotkovich doubts Christensen has the ability to heal a parish that has suffered at the hands of his best friend.

Christensen declined to be interviewed for this story but provided the Coloradoan with a statement he read to the St. Elizabeth’s congregation June 3. In the statement, Christensen said the archdiocese told him not to talk about the Evans case until it was over.

“The Staff and I had no knowledge of the incidents,” Christensen said, according to the statement. “Had I known, I would have a serious obligation to inform the Archdiocese and Civil Authorities immediately. And I would have done so. The past few months have been difficult for me, the staff and the parish.

“While I abhor and detest the actions he has been found guilty of, nonetheless, I continue to pray for Tim Evans. And I have prayed and will continue to pray especially for the victim and his family that they find healing and peace. I, also, pray for our parish that we have understanding, forgiveness and peace.”

Trewartha, the St. Elizabeth’s deacon, has more faith in Christensen’s ability to lead the parish out of its current strife.

“The church has been shaken, but it’s not beyond rescue,” Trewartha said. “As far as I’m concerned, Father Larry has come under a lot of pressure by the archdiocese. They told him to keep quiet until after the trial. I think Father Larry knows Tim Evans is guilty. And I think he has done a good job the last month.”

Gerber is suing Evans in civil court, seeking unspecified damages in the case. He admits the suit is, in part, to keep the spotlight on what Tim Evans did to him.

“This civil suit is nothing more than a way to bring more attention to this,” said Gerber, who lives in Ohio. “And get some sort of compensation for the eight years of my life I have lost due to this man’s actions.”

In the meantime, Gerber said he faces criticism from a faction of church parishioners who continue to support their former priest while labeling the 26-year-old as an accuser, not a victim.

Rotkovich, who lives in metro Denver, said he hasn’t completely given up on his religion, even as he struggles through a divorce that he blames on the emotional scars from Evans’ actions.

“The church is sick,” Rotkovich said. “That doesn’t mean she’s bad, just unhealthy. The problem is the people in charge. It starts with the attitude that they are above all others and they protect their own. Both Nick and I feel very strongly that the church needs to stand up and be honest.

“Most people who go through what we went through are not going to be able to stand up and do what we’ve done. But we’re just not going to lay down.”

Stadele, the longtime St. Elizabeth member, said she’s noticed a drop-off in attendance since the trial.

“A lot of people have left the church,” Stadele said. “Not as many people are at Mass and it seems to have happened since the end of the trial. I think it has been addressed in the church as best it could be.”

http://www.coloradoan.com

What Would Jesus Do? Rape Kids for Khrist? Those Religious Right Fundamentalists!

Sunday, June 17 2007 @ 11:51 PM CDT