A Crisis At St. Patrick's Abbey

A Crisis At St. Parick's Abbey
By Lynda Carson April 2, 2004

Oakland CA-Father Donald Weeks of St. Patrick's Abbey was arraigned at 2pm today at Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland on 24 counts of child molestation between the years of 1994 through 1996. Weeks is scheduled for another court appearance for 11am on April 7.

Weeks was transferred from Kaiser Hospital to Alameda County Santa Rita Jail after having 2 heart attacks since his arrest last Tuesday March 30, by the Oakland Police Department (OPD).

There was no mention of any charges being pressed against Weeks for possession of crack cocaine or a crack pipe, despite the original allegations made by the OPD.

In a call to Assistant Chaplain Donny Ratcliff at the Abbey on April 2, Ratcliff claims that Councilman De La Fuente is full of himself and that the men at the Abbey have been left high and dry since being raided by the OPD.

"Councilman De La Fuente told the media that the Volunteers of America were going to help the men find new housing and other programs to assist with their needs, but it never happened and we are in a big mess at the Abbey as a result of the attacks upon us by De La Fuente and the City. We at least have some checks ready and made out to PG&E and EBMUD to keep the utilities and water on," said Ratcliff.

"Volunteers of America only helps out second time parolee offenders," said Ratcliff, "but none of the men at the Abbey are second offenders and that leaves us out in the cold."

"Presently the most pressing issue is that all of the checks coming in for the men are made out to St. Patricks Abbey, and it takes the signature of Father Weeks to cash them. With Father Weeks being detained and no help coming in from the City or the Volunteers of America, we have a real problem and people are going hungry around here. There is a real crisis going on here," said Ratcliff.

The men at the Abbey have been in a crisis since the OPD raided and ransacked St. Patrick's, and arrested Father Donald Weeks. Matters became worse when the priest had 2 immediate heart attacks the following day, and a few of the men panicked and have left the Abbey since Weeks arrest last Tuesday.

Most of the men are still at the Abbey, 26 as of last count last Tuesday, and they are waiting for another attack from the City of Oakland to come their way, but hope for the best and are trying to maintain as best as they can.

The situation first began weeks ago when Councilman De La Fuente ordered Father Donald Weeks to evict Cary Verse from the premises after he was invited to stay there until he could find some permanent housing. When Weeks refused to evict, the City of Oakland came down hard on the Priest and the Abbey with unrelenting attacks meant to shut them down, even though Verse has been long gone to a new residence in San Jose.

St. Patrick's Abbey is located at 3700 E. 12th Street in East Oakland, corner of 37th Ave and E. 12th Street, near the Fruitvale Bart Station. If anyone can spare a package of food or offer some donations to help out the men at the Abbey, please free to stop by and drop it off with Assistant Chaplain Donny Ratcliff.