Oakland Officials Hound Priest Of St.Patrick's Abbey

Oakland Officials Hound Priest Of St.Patrick's Abbey
by Lynda Carson March 30, 2004

Oakland CA-On March 30 2004, Oakland Police Department Lt. Mike Yowell publicly assured the media that the people of Oakland are much safer now that Father Donald Weeks is safely behind bars where he belongs.

Weeks is being charged with unlawful sexual activities and sexual assualt.

After a surprise 11am raid upon St. Patricks Abbey, Lt. Yowell threw the book at Weeks and claimed that they found some pornographic videos and what appeared to be suspected narcotics at St. Patricks Abbey.

Weeks who is in his mid 60's and suffers from diabetes was hospitalized at Oakland's Highland Hospital shortly after being charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of unlawful sexual activitity which allegedly occurred 8 years ago or more with a male minor.

Weeks collapsed after being arrested and cuffed while St. Patricks Abbey was being ransacked by the police, and is spending the night at Highland Hospital.

Staff, friends and residents of the Abbey are in shock and disbelief, refusing to believe the charges arrayed against the Priest are true.

Donny Ratcliff, an Abbey Staff Member said, "the Police ransacked Father Weeks residence and I can't believe what the Police are saying about the Priest."

Attorney John Burris, said, " I believe that the timing of the raid and charges against the Priest are highly suspect."

Other residents of the Abbey said that they believe Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente is behind the charges and the raid, and that it is all based upon retaliation against the Priest for helping out Cary Verse and refusing to evict him when ordered to do so by De La Fuente.

Only weeks ago, St. Patrick's Abbey was under fire for helping out Cary Verse, and has since been under attack for alleged code violations and a lack of operating permits.

Since then Weeks applied for and was denied the permit needed to keep the Abbey in place at 3700 E. 12th Street in Oakland.

After receipt of an anonymous $10,000 donation to help the Abbey stay afloat, in recent days Weeks considered moving his Abbey to Alameda or Berkeley because he had faced so much conflict recently in Oakland.

Father Weeks also planned to join protesters at Oakland City Hall for the April 6, City Council Meeting, to oppose the proposed Nuisance Eviction Ordinance.

Presently, 26 men face eviction at St. Patricks Abbey and the future is uncertain as to where they may next find housing under the present circumstances.

Father Weeks is expected to be arraigned in Oakland on March 31 for numerous charges stemming from allegations that he had sex with a 26 year old male that was only 17 years of age at the time.