Rev. Michael Miller, a Franciscan friar associated with the Archdioceses of St. Paul church, was arrested and charged with five counts of risk of injury to a child and attempted obscenity. Miller allegedly attempted to induce a 13-year-old boy to have sex with him. He use Facebook and text messages in his pursuit of the child.
The Archdiocese of Hartford is adopting a wait and see attitude.
Church officials who viewed the warrant for the first time Tuesday said they didn’t condone the acts described in the document and Miller would never return to the ministry if found guilty of the charges.
“Once again, we extend our sincere sympathies to the alleged victim and offer our prayers for them and all who have suffered the effects of sexual abuse in our society, the parish community of St. Paul and for Father Miller ...” said Maria Zone, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Hartford.
What will they do with Miller until the trial? What about credible evidence of wrongdoing?He admitted his crime. That credible evidence. Defrock the man.
Miller was found by investigators on the evening of July 3 coming out of the Days Inn on the Berlin Turnpike around 10 p.m. and willingly submitted to an interview. He admitted to police when confronted about the allegations that he had sent sexually oriented messages to the teen but never had any physical contact with the child. Miller said he realized his behavior was inappropriate and that he was sorry, police said.
My guess is that the press report left out a few facts. I’m sure Catholics would not do something like protect a pedophile priest, or pass him on to another parish. That’s unthinkable.
I’ll make a prediction in this case. I think we will see more victims. If Miller was in pursuit of one, he was in pursuit of a dozen.
