Reaction to the Accusations Against Priest

I am a parent whose son attended Santa Margarita High School and am absolutely sick about the accusations leveled at Msgr. (Michael) Harris (“Molestation Allegations Dim Star of O.C. Priest,” Oct. 16).

We moved from Manhattan Beach just to attend the new high school at Santa Margarita. When we moved the school was 2 years old. The principal was Msgr. Harris.

The school was everything that we could have hoped for. My son thrived in the environment, which always seemed to come from a loving, caring place more like a family than a school. I often commented to my wife that I wished I could have attended a school like this.

I certainly don’t know the answers to these accusations. My son said that in all the dealings that he and his friends have had with Msgr. Harris there was never anything which could have led him to believe that this could have happened. Msgr. Harris was always what he appeared to be, a priest who respected and loved those under his care.

I would hope that Msgr. Harris reads this letter and realizes that there are many grateful families who have been privileged to have had their child spend their formative years with him as their educational and spiritual leader.

RONALD E. DZIERZYNSKI

Laguna Hills

* I am an alumnus of Santa Margarita High School, and now a student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. I was 1992-93 student body president, and I was also president of my freshman, sophomore and junior class when I attended Santa Margarita High School.

I was recently informed about the allegations against Msgr. Harris, and my reason for writing this letter is to inform you about the great amount of time that I shared with Msgr. Harris and the way I perceived his character.

I want you and those who read this letter to know my point of view as a student and younger friend of the monsignor’s. As I said before, I was president of my class for three years and student body president for one year, and during this time I spent a great deal of office time and personal time with Msgr. Harris.

I also spent a great deal of time with Msgr. Harris outside school. I spent time at the monsignor’s home, in the chapel, and on vacations with him. I got to know Msgr. Harris very well over the last five years, and I know what he is like.

Msgr. Harris’ credibility is going to drop a great deal because of these charges, but we must fight to keep that credibility strong. I know Msgr. Harris well, and I know these charges are not valid.

People will look at the monsignor in a completely different manner, at least those who don’t know him like I do, and they will think of the allegations rather than all the marvelous things he has done in his life.

He is a wonderful man that has done so much for the community, we must make sure the community remembers these great gifts, and not the charges that are probably brought about by resentment for something not even pertaining to Msgr. Harris.

I pray that with the efforts of his friends, this issue can be resolved soon.

J.J. McAFEE

Dallas

* I am not even going to address the charges filed against Father Harris because your paper is not responsible for those, but you are responsible for allowing your reporter to write a sensationalized and totally irresponsible piece of journalism.

(You) never mentioned once in the article that it was a tradition for Father Harris to have students over to his house on weekend nights to show films, eat popcorn and ice cream, and drink soda. My four sons and their friends have been there numerous times. You made it sound as if this boy and his friends were the only ones that went over there.

Many Mater Dei students and Santa Margarita students attended these evenings and loved going over there.

You quoted the boy as saying Father Harris made him feel special. Father Harris made everyone feel special--that was his gift. He is a very demonstrative person; he hugs men and women and students alike. That is part of his dynamic personality.

Your reporter quoted a letter that he wrote supposedly apologizing for what he did to this boy. Are your readers going to notice that you left out quite a bit of the middle of that letter, that he was probably saying he was sorry for the death of her son? It sure looks as if (you) chose to print the parts that implied guilt. There were other inflammatory words used--wet bar (why?). I am very disappointed in the way this story was handled and I trust you will spend more time interviewing the people who know him, love him, respect him, admire him, and acknowledge that he has given so much to our children, our church and to Orange County.

DEDE MOTHERWAY

Santa Ana

* I beg the supporters of Father Harris to think of the victims who will never recover from their experience.

Once again I read about a wonderful priest, this time Father Harris, and I am forced to relive the terror of my childhood as a victim of a priest who was everyone’s friend.

I have no doubts that Father Harris has many fine qualities. I also believe that the victims of sexual abuse have many fine qualities.

My abuse, which took place over a seven-year period, was accidentally uncovered and the priest was sent away in the dark of night.

I was told that to make this molestation public would be bad for the church and the people who had come to depend on the priest for their spiritual guidance. The priest that molested me was also in charge of the altar boys, the choir, the Boy Scouts, and participated in many parish activities.

GENE P. MORRIS

Lake Forest