By Sean O'Leary -
During a heated moment in the debate over legalizing gay marriage in Illinois, State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) either lied about, or turned a blind eye to, child abuse. In his speech on the Illinois Senate Floor, Mr. Sandoval said "I ... witnessed personally in my eight years in the seminary, you know, homosexuality, alcoholism and even men that were pedophiles. The church and its leaders who didn't provide any support to these good men of faith allowed them to ruin the lives of many of our loved ones."
Sandoval admitted he "witnessed" pedophiles. This begs the question, if he had knowledge of pedophilia, what exactly did he do about it? Did he do a "Joe Paterno" and look the other way, or did he report what he saw? If he failed to report the child abuse then he bears the same responsibility the leaders of the church do.
Illinois State Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero)
And what about the senator's comments in the Chicago Tribune about the closing of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary. "The school is important symbolically. I am offended as a Catholic and a former seminarian," Sandoval said, vowing a fight to save the seminary. The school "has been part of the fabric and the successes of the time."
The article notes that Mr. Sandoval sent his son to the same school. So it begs the question, if the seminary was laden with pedophiles and alcoholics, why would he advocate keeping it open...and enroll his son?
Sen. Sandoval owes the people of Illinois an explanation. If he witnessed crimes, did he report them? If not, why? And will the Cook Cook County State’s Attorney and/or the Illinois Attorney General open an investigation into Mr. Sandoval’s allegations? If these allegations are true, the guilty should be punished. If they are false, Sen. Sandoval should be sanctioned for lying on the floor of the Illinois State Senate.
