News of the weird and downright shameful
UPDATE: Sorry! The newspaper's Web site interchanged the story I was try to lead you to, with this one and it's impossible to get to it even when clicking on the headline for the correct story at that site.
LOS ANGELES--A self-ordained bishop has been charged with defrauding an 87-year-old Claremont woman of her home. Leroy Dowd was charged Wednesday and is facing arraignment Monday on grand theft, forgery and other charges.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office says Dowd headed the now-defunct Triumph Church of God in Los Angeles. Prosecutors say he met the woman through the church in 2006 and tricked her into signing over the grant deed to her $800,000 home by telling her he could help her secure widow's benefits.
He then sold the home for a hefty profit. Two other Los Angeles residents are charged with helping Down obtain financing to pull off the scheme. All three could face more than 10 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors said investigators are also examining whether a self-proclaimed bishop stole the identities of deceased people he encountered through a funeral home he ran in Los Angeles, Dowd and Gonzalez Funeral Directors.
Comments (4)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Nancy, the link provided does not match the story summarized.
Posted on June 7, 2008 11:13 AM
No, it certainly doesn't; and the link is better than the story cited seems to have been.
The Ausie bishop said: "If we find that obligatory celibacy has contributed to abuse, we must put that on the table.' "
No one in his right mind could ever doubt that mandatory celibacy has contributed largely to sexual abuse in the RCC. It was never the policy of the primitive Church, and has not been the policy of the Orthodx churches; so why hold onto something that is not biblical or comensurate with holy tradition? except that it emphasizes the unbiblical division between clergy and laity which strengthens the hierarchical power of the RCC.
There is a natural respect that loving and committed pastors have to their flock. It doesn't need to be so highly institutionalized and exagerated, not to mention articifial.
Posted on June 7, 2008 6:12 PM
Hello,
I know BISHOP Dowd...1. he is not a "self-ordained Bishop";
2. He did not "bilk" an 87 year old woman out of her home;
3. He did not steal the identities of any deceased person to come through his funeral home!
Posted on June 10, 2008 10:41 PM
If in fact he did not do this how come all the guilt is coming out on him ? explain
Posted on August 5, 2008 6:53 PM