Rafael Venegas and Luis Jose Cuevas, Catholic Priests, Accused of Sex Crimes Against Females

Fr. Venegas has being a friend way before he got ordained as a priest, so we talk in a regular basis! Although, he was not allowed to talked through all this, I was finally able to talk to him yesterday! He is free of all charges...This just tells me that he was innocent!

Why do they put both of these priests in one article?  Fr Venegas bought alcohol for a 20-year-old woman (NOT a parishioner of his church) and assaulted her (defined as "unlawful or unwanted touching of a person of their private area).  Fr Cuevas—what a scumbag!—touching a 14-year-old girl for his sexual pleasure.  Two completely different things.  Shame on you OC Weekly.

That being said, people are innocent until proven guilty. The 14-year-old in Fr Cuevas's case is probably telling the truth, and good for her.  The 20-year-old... well, priests often go around in plain clothes when not saying mass or having appointments. Once she sobered up (remember, he bought her alcohol), it is very POSSIBLE she regretted whatever happened and reported him because he was a priest. I read another article, and  Fr Venegas was counseled (most likely by his peers) to turn himself in to be booked once Santa Monica had enough information to make an arrest. 

If some of you previous commentators notice, these instances were reported by the people abused TO THE POLICE as well as the archdiocese.  This is the failing of the lay people who have been abused in the past but never got justice.  They reported it to the archdiocese, thinking they would do something about it.  How stupid is that?  Priests are not immune to our laws.  You have to report it to the police.  There is a lot of blame that was never placed on the parents of the abused youth for dropping the ball and forgetting that, oh my God, crimes should be reported to the police.

Looks like he should be shouting "the plane, the plane'!

This priest was @ Our Holy Family Catholic Church in Glendale and was at that time on of the best, BUT OMG!!!!!!!!!! No matter how charming and peaceful priests talking about God and trying to bring a community together, they have the devil inside. Even worst the archdiocese paid his bail and his free again to continue committing crime. Why justice can’t be made!!!!!!!

Let's hope that every person who saw, suspected or suffered sex crimes and misdeeds by Cuevas, will find the courage and strength to speak up, call police, expose wrongdoing, protect others and start healing. Keep in mind your silence only hurts, and by speaking up there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth, and therefore protecting others. Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com, (SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,)

Let's hope that every person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes and misdeeds by Rafael Venegas, will find the courage and strength to speak up, call police, expose wrongdoing, protect others and start healing. Keep in mind your silence only hurts, and by speaking up there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth, and therefore protecting others. Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com, (SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,) is the worlds oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 12,000 members. Despite the word priest in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers and increasingly, victims who were assaulted in a wide range of institutional settings like summer camps, athletic programs, Boy Scouts, etc.