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Dear Netters, Today I have received a barrage of calls requesting me to sue the owners and hosts of the web site apparently launched Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues's henchmen for having made defamatory and unfounded allegations against me. My answer is very clear. I will not. I have better things to do with whatever time I have after complying with the varied tasks my conscience directs me. I have even at times to skip the obligation of confession as a Roman Catholic. But then where is the time to sin. It is however surprising that the authors and promoters of this web site which has been obviously orchestrated and blessed by Rev. Fr. Newton Rodrigues have not dared and shown the spine to come out with their true identity. The hatchers of the website will get no where by highlighting me with fabricated and malicious facts. It would have been nice if they had the courage, spiritual power and guidance to carry Fr. Newton Rodrigues's version of the whole molestation episode. This they will not. Silence is golden. For the reasons known to all. Please check it. The owner of this Fr. Newton Rodrigues's website is one Sunil Volvoikar from Girgaum - Bombay and his telephone no 022- 243543322 does not exist. Why do not these so called chums of the Rev. Newton Rodrigues who feel that the priest has done nothing wrong by molesting a minor girl have the audacity to put in their true names. The fictiticious and elusive so called Maria Rodrigues continues to flirt in the very convenient cyber world. Will she be gracious enough to at least disclose her true identity to the Goanet Admin team. Friends, I know the Catholic church in Goa is a powerful institution. But this could not silence me when I was informed that a young 13 year old of my locality was molested. What would you have done if your own daughter or niece was sexually traumatized. Forget the Parish priest, I would have pursued the case even if the Prime Minister of India was accused of such a mind boggling crime. It was my personal decision to raise the issue with the Archbishop of Goa whom I met on Aug 11 and have still to year about the outcome of his investigations which he had assured to be very prompt and swift. May be he is the process of recruiting a new set of worthy priests to fill the odd and awkward vacuum that would be created if he chose to flush those unworthy clergy. Last week I met a Ribandar friend Mr. Raymond Araujo who had come down from Kuwait to attend his father's funeral. Already sorrow stricken Raymond, narrated to me in tears that last year when he approached Fr Newton Rodrigues for the arrangements of his nuptials the priest demanded a ransom of Rs 15, 000/-. Raymond was very firm. He said, Father Ribandar is my Church and I will donate what I can and I feel I should. Raymond's plight did not surprise me. Fr. Newton Rodrigues has never given me a receipt for any of the donations he sought from me over the last four years. May be he had the foresight to accumulate the wealth to face and pay for the molestation charge that he was destined for. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar
