A FILIPINO priest who fled charges of possessing child pornography and stealing from his parish may soon be de­frocked from the Roman Catholic Church. The Diocese of Worcester has asked the Vatican to defrock the Rev. Lowe B. Dongor, according to the Worcester Telegram. The 35-year-old Dongor, who was the Diocese of Worcester’s first Filipino priest, fled the US and went to the Philippines, after being charged with possessing child pornography and larceny over $250. Dongor was placed on admin­istrative leave of absence and re­lieved of his duties last July. He fled before his October 25 court hearing. A warrant has been is­sued for Dongor’s arrest. The Worcester Telegram re­ports “chancery officials said they are seeking to oust Rev. Dongor in the wake of a ‘clarification’ last spring by church officials in Rome that possession of child pornog­raphy is grounds for removal from the priesthood.”

The Vatican’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith earlier this year declared that “the acquisition, possession, and distribu­tion of child pornography is a ca­nonical delict that pertains to the sexual abuse of a minor,” reports the Telegram. The Telegram also reports that a spokesman for the diocese said that Bishop Robert McManus has asked Pope Benedict XVI to de­frock Dongor in light of the por­nography allegations.

According to police, when Dongor was brought in for ques­tioning, he allegedly admitted that on several occasions he stole “$40 or $60” from the parish of­fice in Fitchburg to wire home to his family in the Philippines and also admitted to visiting several child pornography websites.

He was released on personal recognizance by Judge Andrew L. Mandell and was ordered not to use computers and have un­supervised contact with children under 14.
Dongor is believed to be hid­ing in the Philippines. Several media outlets there have reported that Dongor has returned to his hometown of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, in October. Worcester law enforcement of­ficials are working with local au­thorities in the Philippines to lo­cate Dongor and once captured, plan to extradite him back to Mas­sachusetts to face charges.

“Once he’s found, the wheels will be put in motion to bring him back,” said Timothy Connolly, a spokesman for the District Attor­ney’s office in Worcester. If Dongor is defrocked, he will be the second priest to ever be dismissed.

Last year, the pope ousted Thomas H. Teczar from the priesthood after he was convicted in Texas of sexually abusing a boy and after being publicly accused of molesting at least two Central Massachusetts youths, according to the Telegram. (www.asianjournal.com)

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