Greek American is Alleged Fifth Victim of Katinas

Date Published: 4/24/2008
Author: Theodore Kalmoukos
Publication: The National Herald

BOSTON – A first generation Greek American is the fifth alleged pederasty victim of former Dallas-priest Nicholas Katinas. According to court documents with Case Number 0703807D, “Between the ages of 8 and 9, John Doe V served as an altar boy at Holy Trinity (Dallas). His service was supported by his parents, who were of Greek descent and who were long-time members at the church even prior to the assignment of Katinas. In approximately 1984, using his religious authority to gain access young Does V’s psyche and under the pretext of discussing girls, Katinas talked suggestively to the boy. Katinas groomed his victim with the ‘girl discussions,’ stating Doe V was ‘a good-looking boy and that he ‘must have all the girls chasing him.’ His talking was soon followed by [sexual act] on at least two occasions. These sex acts occurred when Doe V was approximately 13 or 14.” According to the courts documents “these incidents went on for some 7 years. [Sexual acts] occurred on Sundays at least 30 times in any given year. In 2007, after this lawsuit was filled, Doe V’s mother heard that Katinas was accused of abusing young males, she notified her son. Doe V blurted his response without thinking: “It wouldn’t surprise me.”

The court has set the jury trial open to the public and press, which will start on September 22, 2008 in Dallas Texas. The judge has directed both sides, the victims and the Archdiocese to hold a conference on Tuesday, May 20 to attempt to reach an out of court settlement. Both parties continue to take depositions preparing for the trial in case that no settlement is reached out of court. In that cas,e even Archbishop Demetrios will be called to give a deposition. No monetary damages have been mentioned in the lawsuit, but based on a similar case of the Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Texas the sum of $156 million was granted by the court to the victims. The victim’s attorney, Tahira Meritt, specializes in cases of clergy abuse against minors.

The Archdiocese and the Holy Trinity parish of Dallas had requested from the court to allow the revelation of the real names of the victims, but the court refused and ordered their identities to be shielded. Also, the Holy Trinity parish and the Archdiocese filed court papers designating Katinas as a “responsible third party” meaning that he should be responsible for his actions.

Katinas has not responded to the allegations against him and his whereabouts are unknown. The National Herald has learned that Katinas continues to reside in Greece since 2006 and more specifically on the island of Rhodes. Attorney Tahira Merritt received special permission from the court and served legal papers to Katinas’ wife in Dallas, but no reply has been issued from Katinas.

Father Katinas, 72, a well-known Greek Orthodox priest in America of 43 years (28 of which he served in Dallas), has been accused of sexual misconduct with minors, which led to his defrockment.

After months of unconfirmed rumors, as well as apparent expectations of lawsuits and a run-up to stories broken by the Dallas local media, Assistant Archdiocese Chancellor Rev. Michael Kontogiorgis traveled to Dallas on February 21, 2006 and informed the Holy Trinity parish community, “There is no doubt that Father Nicholas engaged in serious moral transgressions,” and that Father Katinas’ suspension is permanent.

Members of Father Katinas’ family told the National Herald that the former Dallas pastor traveled to Rhodes on February 19.

On February 23, one day after the Dallas Morning News published a story about Father Kontogiorgis’ visit to Dallas and Father Katinas’ suspension, the Archdiocese issued an official news release stating that, “After a thorough investigation of allegations of serious misconduct involving minors, Father Katinas was suspended, in accordance with the Archdiocese’s Statement of Policy Regarding Sexual Misconduct by Clergy.”

Archbishop Demetrios of America initially refused to send Katinas to the Spiritual Court for defrocking, but he had expressed a preference in keeping him on suspended status indefinitely. The Archbishop reportedly had told the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church in America that Katinas wished to avoid being defrocked because he wanted to be buried as a priest and not as a layman.

The Archbishop’s refusal to defrock Katinas had alarmed several members of the Synod, as well as many members of the Greek Orthodox clergy and the laity in America, who granted interviews to the National Herald demanding the defrockment of Katinas.

Experts in the legal profession told the Herald that the pedophilia scandals which have shaken the Roman Catholic Church have also caused laws to change in some states, compelling the Roman Catholic hierarchy to report pedophiles among their clergy to the authorities, and furnish all available data concerning cases of alleged sexual abuse.

Pope Benedict of Rome in his recent official visit to the U.S. last week not only mentioned the pedophilia scandal that has cost $2 billion in damages to the Roman Catholic Church in America, but also met a representative group of five victims from Boston.

It should be noted that Father Katinas, was considered among the Archdiocese of America’s most prominent and well-connected clergymen. He is close friends with Father Nicholas Triantafilou, President of Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology; Rev. Theodore Stylianopoulos, professor of New Testament Studies at Holy Cross; Rev. Alkiviadis Calivas, professor emeritus of Liturgics at Holy Cross; Rev. Thomas Paris, Dean of the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, California; and Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, spiritual advisor of the Order of Saint Andrew (Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate), and executive director of the new Archdiocese Faith Endowment; as well as with the Archbishop himself.

Upon the Archdiocese Chancery request, Katinas was released in 2006 from the Metropolis of Denver, the jurisdiction under which Holy Trinity Church in Dallas belongs, to the Direct Archdiocesan District in New York, which is under the canonical and administrative jurisdiction of Archbishop Demetrios.

Just almost a year ago on the Day of the Feast of the Pentecost, Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver visited the Holy Trinity in Dallas, Texas and in his sermon he expressed his wholehearted support of Katinas, and questioned the motives of the victims. On March 6 however Isaiah issued an encyclical proclaiming this current month of April as “Child Abuse Awareness Month.”