Latest news with #Bachman
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Priest to leave Green Township parish after admitting to viewing pornography
A priest at the center of controversy at a Green Township Catholic church is admitting to viewing pornography and has announced his departure from the parish. Martin Bachman, a priest at Our Lady of the Visitation, on June 6 told members of the parish he would begin a previously planned sabbatical immediately and not return. "I have viewed adult pornography and engaged with some video games of an inappropriate nature," Bachman said in a letter on the parish website that the Archdiocese of Cincinnati provided. Bachman said he did not view the pornography or video games in the parish office or on a parish-owned device. Bachman also said he'd been "scammed out of a significant amount of my personal money" but not parish funds, and reported the scam to law enforcement. Both matters – related to pornography and the alleged scam – had bubbled up in recent weeks at Our Lady of the Visitation. They came to a boil at the end of May when a member of the Archdiocese staff read a letter during Mass from Archbishop Robert Casey defending Bachman and Visitation's pastor. In that statement, Casey said no wrongdoing had been substantiated. On June 6, the Archdiocese changed course. "We confirmed information this week about the nature of the sinful and disturbing online activity in which Father Bachman has participated that requires immediate attention," a statement from the Archdiocese said. The priest will address the issues "during his time away from ministry," the statement said. Bachman, in his letter, said the past couple of years had been "particularly difficult ones" with the deaths of his parents within 30 days of each other and "not taking sufficient time to grieve." But he added that he would "take ownership" of his behavior and asked for parishioners' prayers to move from "sin to grace, out of darkness into light." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Father Martin Bachman to leave Visitation, admits viewing pornography
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
NFL vet Jake McQuaide disrupts a church with a scandalous question: ‘Did the priest use…'
NFL veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide interrupted Mass at a church in Ohio to confront Catholic officials and question, 'Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography?' On Saturday, at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township, where Archdiocese of Cincinnati Chancellor Jason Williams was addressing parishioners regarding claims that Rev. Martin Bachman had accessed pornography using a parish-owned computer. Williams read aloud a letter from Archbishop Robert Casey: 'All concerns have been investigated, and no wrongdoing either criminally or ecclesiastically has been substantiated' against either Fr. Bachman or the parish's pastor, Don Siciliano. ALSO READ| Atlanta Falcons to trade Kyle Pitts? NFL insiders spill secrets amid rumours 'Furthermore, recent rumors, for which no corroborating facts have been uncovered, are unsubstantiated. Rumors which quickly spiral out of control have the potential to severely harm the good reputation which each of us should enjoy. Consequently, like gossip, the spreading of rumors is sinful, and we should all work to overcome this tendency of our fallen human nature.' Casey also stressed that Green Township Police had confirmed there was 'no evidence or investigation of criminal wrongdoing by Fr. Bachman,' and that there were no ongoing church-led investigations either. But then McQuaide stood up and interrupted the Mass, asking, 'Please take a second. We want to put these rumours to rest. Can you answer this for me, fact or fiction?' per a video clip captured by WCPO. 'Did the priest use our parish computer to look at pornography? …True or false? True or false?' 'You can look at pornography at your house, but you cannot do it here.' Someone in the church said, 'This is not the time for this,' but McQuaide pushed on. 'I'm sorry, sir, this is the time and the place. I will stand up.' Ohio police officers reportedly escorted McQuaide out of the church. Captain Mitch Hill of the Green Township Police told Fox News Digital that McQuaide "was escorted out at the specific direction of the church" and that he was not arrested or charged. Hill reiterated that Fr. Bachman 'has not been the target of an investigation by this department.' ALSO READ| Stefon Diggs to be laid off before season starts; Patriots to take call on boat video soon: NFL insider Notably, the scandal stems from a complaint filed by a parishioner who allegedly saw explicit content on a parish computer, images that included thumbnail links to adult websites. Casey noted in the letter that Bachman will begin a 'previously planned sabbatical' in July.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'It's sad and embarrassing': Rumors and pornography accusation disrupt Cincinnati parish
Months of tension between Catholic parishioners and their priests at a West Side parish boiled over last weekend with a disruption during Mass, accusations about pornography and a plea from Cincinnati's archbishop to end "sinful" rumors and gossip. The problems burst into public view Saturday at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township, when police officers escorted a man who'd interrupted the afternoon service out of the church. The incident occurred moments after Archdiocese of Cincinnati Chancellor Jason Williams read a statement from Archbishop Robert Casey defending a Visitation priest, Martin Bachman, and its pastor, Don Siciliano. Casey's statement referred to accusations and complaints about the priests as unfounded and unfair. 'Several concerns have been brought to the attention of the archdiocese,' Casey wrote. 'These have been investigated, and no wrongdoing – either criminally or ecclesiastically – has been substantiated.' Casey then urged parishioners to avoid spreading falsehoods about anyone, including their parish priests. 'Rumors which quickly spiral out of control have the potential to severely harm the good reputation which each of us should enjoy,' he wrote. 'Consequently, like gossip, the spreading of rumors is sinful, and we should all work to overcome this tendency of our fallen human nature.' Jake McQuaide, a Visitation parishioner and NFL player, stood to protest after Williams read Casey's statement, shouting at Williams and demanding, specifically, that he address an allegation that Bachman had accessed pornography on a computer at the church. 'We want to put these rumors to rest,' McQuaide said. 'Can you answer this for me?' 'This is not the time,' Williams responded. Williams then said the accusation against Bachman was false, but the back-and-forth continued until Green Township police officers approached McQuaide and walked him out of the church. Police Capt. Mitch Hill said the archdiocese had asked police to attend the service in case there were disruptions. He said McQuaide, who could not be reached for comment, was not detained or charged with a crime. Bachman did not respond to calls or an email seeking comment. But an archdiocese spokeswoman, Jennifer Schack, said the allegation that Bachman used a parish-owned computer to access pornography is false. Casey said in his statement that Bachman would begin a sabbatical in July, which he said was planned prior to the accusations and is unrelated to them. Todd Zureick, the Visitation parishioner who filed a complaint with the archdiocese about the pornography allegation, said he saw images on the computer that included thumbnail links to adult pornography sites and other sites with explicit content. He said he received the images from a third party, whom he has not identified, and then shared them with the archdiocese in April. Zureick said he does not believe the images are illegal but that they are inappropriate for a workplace, especially a church. He said the archdiocese failed to adequately investigate the complaint, which has resulted in the public airing of accusations and more frustration among parishioners. 'It's sad and embarrassing that the lack of institutional control and leadership at Visitation has led to this,' Zureick said. Casey, however, said in his statement that the matter was investigated thoroughly and that no misconduct was revealed. 'Both Father Siciliano and Father Bachman are priests in good standing in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,' Casey wrote. 'There are no ecclesiastical investigations being conducted related to their conduct.' He also described some of the accusations that have been made as 'defamatory statements' and said Green Township Police have found no criminal misconduct related to any priest at Visitation. Hill confirmed his department has found no criminal wrongdoing. But police records show they did investigate an unrelated complaint in late 2023 with connections to Visitation. The name of the person who filed the complaint is redacted, because of a state law that conceals the names of crime victims. But The Enquirer found the property listed on the complaint is owned by the archdiocese and matches Bachman's address. According to a police report, the man who filed the complaint said he had been encouraged by an unknown person he'd met online to deposit money into an investment account. By the time he realized it was 'a scam,' the police report said, he had deposited $58,000. Weeks later, the man who filed the complaint said he'd been contacted again by the person he'd met online, and this time she was threatening to reveal sexually explicit conversations he'd had with her 'to his parishes' if he didn't pay more money. Hill said police, who investigated the matter as a telecommunications fraud, don't know if that threat was carried out. But he said the $58,000 investment was never recovered. Schack did not respond late Monday when asked if archdiocese officials were aware of the fraud investigation. Casey's statement also does not mention the fraud investigation. Long before the uproar last weekend, parishioners at Visitation, St. Jude in Bridgetown and St. Joseph in North Bend had expressed concerns about leadership in their parishes. All three parishes are part of a 'family of parishes' that is overseen by Siciliano and Bachman. The parish family was created a few years ago as the archdiocese began consolidating parishes and schools into groups that could share resources and priests. Those changes have, at times, upset parishioners. A petition started early this year listed a string of complaints and concerns from parishioners at Visitation, St. Jude and St. Joseph about the operation of their parishes and parish schools. 'We … are deeply concerned about the current direction of leadership and decision-making within our parish,' the petition states. It goes on to request better communication from church leaders, more transparency in parish finances, more autonomy for school faculty and protection from retaliation for parishioners who speak out. As of Monday, the petition had 651 signatures. Maggie Lysaght, the Visitation parishioner who started the petition, said the concerns expressed in the petition are based on input from more than 200 parishioners. She said the problems they reveal shouldn't be overshadowed by the pornography accusations that arose at the church last weekend. 'There are a lot of unhappy parishioners,' she said. In his statement, Casey indicated he's aware the consolidation of parishes might be a challenge for some parishioners. 'Times of change can be difficult,' he wrote. 'We may not like some decisions that are made, and things may not always unfold according to our personal preferences.' This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rumors and pornography accusation disrupt Cincinnati west side parish
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'It's sad and embarrassing': Rumors and pornography accusation disrupt Cincinnati parish
Months of tension between Catholic parishioners and their priests at a West Side parish boiled over last weekend with a disruption during Mass, accusations about pornography and a plea from Cincinnati's archbishop to end "sinful" rumors and gossip. The problems burst into public view Saturday at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township, when police officers escorted a man who'd interrupted the afternoon service out of the church. The incident occurred moments after Archdiocese of Cincinnati Chancellor Jason Williams read a statement from Archbishop Robert Casey defending a Visitation priest, Martin Bachman, and its pastor, Don Siciliano. Casey's statement referred to accusations and complaints about the priests as unfounded and unfair. 'Several concerns have been brought to the attention of the archdiocese,' Casey wrote. 'These have been investigated, and no wrongdoing – either criminally or ecclesiastically – has been substantiated.' Casey then urged parishioners to avoid spreading falsehoods about anyone, including their parish priests. 'Rumors which quickly spiral out of control have the potential to severely harm the good reputation which each of us should enjoy,' he wrote. 'Consequently, like gossip, the spreading of rumors is sinful, and we should all work to overcome this tendency of our fallen human nature.' Jake McQuaide, a Visitation parishioner and NFL player, stood to protest after Williams read Casey's statement, shouting at Williams and demanding, specifically, that he address an allegation that Bachman had accessed pornography on a computer at the church. 'We want to put these rumors to rest,' McQuaide said. 'Can you answer this for me?' 'This is not the time,' Williams responded. Williams then said the accusation against Bachman was false, but the back-and-forth continued until Green Township police officers approached McQuaide and walked him out of the church. Police Capt. Mitch Hill said the archdiocese had asked police to attend the service in case there were disruptions. He said McQuaide, who could not be reached for comment, was not detained or charged with a crime. Bachman did not respond to calls or an email seeking comment. But an archdiocese spokeswoman, Jennifer Schack, said the allegation that Bachman used a parish-owned computer to access pornography is false. Casey said in his statement that Bachman would begin a sabbatical in July, which he said was planned prior to the accusations and is unrelated to them. Todd Zureick, the Visitation parishioner who filed a complaint with the archdiocese about the pornography allegation, said he saw images on the computer that included thumbnail links to adult pornography sites and other sites with explicit content. He said he received the images from a third party, whom he has not identified, and then shared them with the archdiocese in April. Zureick said he does not believe the images are illegal but that they are inappropriate for a workplace, especially a church. He said the archdiocese failed to adequately investigate the complaint, which has resulted in the public airing of accusations and more frustration among parishioners. 'It's sad and embarrassing that the lack of institutional control and leadership at Visitation has led to this,' Zureick said. Casey, however, said in his statement that the matter was investigated thoroughly and that no misconduct was revealed. 'Both Father Siciliano and Father Bachman are priests in good standing in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,' Casey wrote. 'There are no ecclesiastical investigations being conducted related to their conduct.' He also described some of the accusations that have been made as 'defamatory statements' and said Green Township Police have found no criminal misconduct related to any priest at Visitation. Hill confirmed his department has found no criminal wrongdoing. But police records show they did investigate an unrelated complaint in late 2023 with connections to Visitation. The name of the person who filed the complaint is redacted, because of a state law that conceals the names of crime victims. But The Enquirer found the property listed on the complaint is owned by the archdiocese and matches Bachman's address. According to a police report, the man who filed the complaint said he had been encouraged by an unknown person he'd met online to deposit money into an investment account. By the time he realized it was 'a scam,' the police report said, he had deposited $58,000. Weeks later, the man who filed the complaint said he'd been contacted again by the person he'd met online, and this time she was threatening to reveal sexually explicit conversations he'd had with her 'to his parishes' if he didn't pay more money. Hill said police, who investigated the matter as a telecommunications fraud, don't know if that threat was carried out. But he said the $58,000 investment was never recovered. Schack did not respond late Monday when asked if archdiocese officials were aware of the fraud investigation. Casey's statement also does not mention the fraud investigation. Long before the uproar last weekend, parishioners at Visitation, St. Jude in Bridgetown and St. Joseph in North Bend had expressed concerns about leadership in their parishes. All three parishes are part of a 'family of parishes' that is overseen by Siciliano and Bachman. The parish family was created a few years ago as the archdiocese began consolidating parishes and schools into groups that could share resources and priests. Those changes have, at times, upset parishioners. A petition started early this year listed a string of complaints and concerns from parishioners at Visitation, St. Jude and St. Joseph about the operation of their parishes and parish schools. 'We … are deeply concerned about the current direction of leadership and decision-making within our parish,' the petition states. It goes on to request better communication from church leaders, more transparency in parish finances, more autonomy for school faculty and protection from retaliation for parishioners who speak out. As of Monday, the petition had 651 signatures. Maggie Lysaght, the Visitation parishioner who started the petition, said the concerns expressed in the petition are based on input from more than 200 parishioners. She said the problems they reveal shouldn't be overshadowed by the pornography accusations that arose at the church last weekend. 'There are a lot of unhappy parishioners,' she said. In his statement, Casey indicated he's aware the consolidation of parishes might be a challenge for some parishioners. 'Times of change can be difficult,' he wrote. 'We may not like some decisions that are made, and things may not always unfold according to our personal preferences.' This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rumors and pornography accusation disrupt Cincinnati west side parish
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Wild goalie of the future Jesper Wallstedt opens up on ‘terrible' season, what's next
DES MOINES, Iowa — There might have been a few rock bottoms for Jesper Wallstedt this season. One, he called an 'all-time low' and 'terrible.' But there were also moments when AHL Iowa goalie coach Richard Bachman felt the touted Minnesota Wild prospect started to figure things out. The light would come on. One such time was in December. Wallstedt thought he'd gotten his game back only to give up five straight goals in a road loss in Rockford. As Bachman put it, the feeling was, 'What do I have to do to get out of this?' Advertisement The Wild would shut Wallstedt down for a few games, giving him a mental break and telling him to go back to basics. But before that, Bachman called Wallstedt into his small office at Wells Fargo Arena for a chat. Bachman, Wallstedt's coach and confidante the past three pro seasons, usually goes over video or talks technique. This one was different. He challenged him. 'Wally, I need more,' Bachman told him. 'I totally understand,' Wallstedt replied. 'I need to be better. I need to give you more.' Wallstedt isn't a super emotional kid. But Bachman could see the 22-year-old showing heart in the moment. 'He cares so much, and it was hurting him,' Bachman said. 'But that was probably the moment where we were like, 'All right, I've got to slow this thing down, get him back centered.'' This was a frustrating and sometimes maddening season for Wallstedt, who went 9-14-4 with an .879 save percentage, 3.59 goals-against average. There were plenty of reasons for it. The Swede admitted he didn't handle the beginning of the season well, getting it into his head he'd be part of a three-goalie rotation in Minnesota, then letting that linger until midseason in Iowa. There were three injuries, including a groin issue and a concussion. It's fair that Wild fans worry about the first-rounder who has been considered their goalie of the future — their 'Wall of St. Paul.' It makes sense the Wild brass plans to bring in an experienced No. 3 goalie to have in Iowa next year, just in case, and may start contract extension talks with Filip Gustavsson, their current No.1. Wallstedt still has plenty to prove in the most important summer of his career. But Wild management and coaches believe in Wallstedt, feeling the adversity this season will help him when he undoubtedly finds some at the next level. And Wallstedt, as humbled and down as he was this season, isn't wavering in his confidence on what he can be, starting next year as Gustavsson's backup. Advertisement 'No. I'm definitely not concerned,' Wallstedt said in a candid 30-minute conversation with The Athletic. 'I know everyone is going to have a down year or down period sometime. Obviously, I would have loved to have it with a shorter time. I would have loved not to be injured three times. But the fact is, I have been injured. I've not been good enough. But that doesn't change from what I can become. 'I'm still 22 years old. I'm still super young. It's my fifth year pro at 22. I'm not doubting I can turn it around and have a great year next year. I know I can do it. It's about actually finding a way to do it. It's been a lot of talk, and it's about doing it right now. It feels like there's been enough excuses. It's been enough this and that. 'I could have done this.' I've just got to get back to doing my job and that's saving the puck and winning games, and I haven't done that good enough.' 'Maybe I wasn't as ready during that game as I would be today.'I spent an afternoon in Iowa w/ #mnwild goalie of the future Jesper Wallstedt. The Swede was very candid about his #NHL debut, Hynes' pep talk, Fleury as a mentor. 'He wants to be the man.' — Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) April 3, 2024 As Gustavsson often puts it, being a goalie is 90 percent in your head. And Wallstedt's season first started to derail at the beginning with his mental approach. President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin openly talked about a three-goalie rotation all summer, with the idea of Wallstedt rotating in and getting some NHL experience. They told him to get a place in the Twin Cities. Wallstedt's apartment remained mostly empty all year. But everyone should have known it would be extremely difficult to carry three goalies with the Wild's cap situation. Whether Guerin & Co. could have set Wallstedt up better can be argued, but Wallstedt put the blame squarely on himself. It took until around Christmas for him to effectively 'land' in Iowa mentally. 'I definitely don't think I handled it the right way,' Wallstedt said. 'And, looking back on it, I felt like I took it way too hard and maybe I doubted myself way too much and thought it was my fault or something. After a full season, there's no way (the Wild) could have kept three goalies all year. I'm almost laughing myself that I actually believed in a little bit that there could have been three with the cap space. Advertisement 'I wasn't (good), so there was no reason to keep me up there. Maybe I should have been a little smarter in that sense. I definitely didn't handle it right, and I think I let it affect me way too hard.' It didn't help that Wallstedt, living in one of the team's apartments in Des Moines, had his belongings split between Iowa and Minneapolis, so he never really 'felt like at home.' His girlfriend, Erika, would go back and forth to grab things in between his call-ups. Wallstedt said he talked to sports psychologists back home in Sweden and got help from Wild director of human performance specialist Aaron Bogosian. It wasn't necessarily that he was ticked he was sent down. He wondered, 'Why isn't anything working?' He couldn't save a puck for the first time in his life, and he would constantly overthink it. 'An all-time low,' Wallstedt said. Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks said Wallstedt's early-season struggles in the AHL were no different than a seven-game playoff series. 'Game 1 didn't go the way you wanted to — how are you going to prepare for Game 2?' he said. 'In this game, nothing ever really goes the way you envision it going. If it does, you do everything in your power to keep it going in that direction. For (Wallstedt), having gone through something like this, at the end of the day, he'll be better for it. He'll be mentally stronger.' 'I believe in Wally and I know he's got the talent,' Guerin said. 'He's just got to fight a little harder when things don't go his way. But I believe in him as a player and a person. He's going to have to come in and earn a spot on the team just like everybody else.' A focus for Wallstedt the past two offseasons has been working on his conditioning and practice habits, and Bachman has seen an improvement in both of those areas. There were some things that Bachman and the staff suggested Wallstedt change up in his warmup routine in order to keep him healthy, and the prospect was open to it. Wallstedt said he struggled so much, there was no choice but to have an open mind on things. Advertisement 'Everyone struggles now and then,' he said. 'You go through rough patches as a player or as a team and you find your way back. But for myself this year, I haven't really found a way to get back to it. Even when I felt like I was playing good, I was not having success. I feel my game is in the right spot, and we'd still lose games and goals still go in. I've just got to be better.' Bachman said Wallstedt's issues weren't always technical. At times, Wallstedt went from being positioned too low and wide to too high and narrow. They tweaked his stance, his balance, for more power and pace. Bachman said he started to see the 'old Wally' late in the season before his third injury in March. 'The game seemed like it was slowing down,' Bachman said. 'When you see a goalie who is on the ice and everything looks effortless, you're like, 'OK, he's got it figured out.' His ability to track down on pucks, read a release, is where, before you even shoot it, he knows where it's going. He's finally got to that point of putting it together.' What struck Bachman, Iowa coach Brett McLean and teammates was Wallstedt's attitude and accountability. His work ethic wasn't an issue. He didn't pout or point fingers. It isn't always easy to be a goalie for a struggling team that missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. 'I'm confident in myself, knowing what I can do and what to do to succeed,' Wallstedt said. 'I know I'm a great goalie. I know I can save the puck. I've done it for so many years. I've done it at so many different levels. I've done it at the AHL. So it's more that I'm asking myself, 'Why am I not doing it right now? What has changed?' I just need to get a clean slate.' Future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury went through his own struggles, seeing a sports psychologist about eight years into his NHL career. Gustavsson too had a reset last summer, when his name was in trade rumors. 'I remember all you guys kind of ripping him from last year, not being as good as possible,' Wallstedt said of Gustavsson. 'And see what a bounceback year he's had?' Advertisement That's what Wallstedt is hoping to have. His plan after the Wild playoff series against Vegas — where he was a black ace — was to spend time back home in Sweden and see his family. He wants to get healthy. But he is expected to spend time this summer working with Wild staff in Minnesota, too. 'If anything, him going through this has given me more confidence he's going to be just fine at that next level,' Bachman said. 'Now he's even more ready than he was seven months ago. He's still a young man. He's still maturing and learning. This is all part of that process. Everyone's path is so different. 'This is all part of what he has to go through, and now he'll come out of it really well.' Wallstedt's Iowa teammates had fun with him before the rough season wrapped. He was still injured at that point, a late March trip to Austin, where he wasn't expected to play. Some veterans, like Ryan O'Rourke, took a page from the Fleury prank playbook and removed all the furniture from Wallstedt's hotel room and put it in the hallway outside the elevator. So when Wallstedt got off the elevator, he saw a paper on the desk with his key and the name, 'J. Wallstedt.' April Fools came a little early for Wally this year… 👀#ItStartsInDSM #AprilFools — Iowa Wild (@IAWild) April 1, 2025 The hotel staff wasn't laughing. Wallstedt was later brought to the security room to point out the culprits. Teammate Carson Lambos and O'Rourke said Wallstedt was the perfect guy to do that too. 'He's not afraid to get in the middle, jarring back and forth with guys,' Lambos said. 'You've got to be able to take it if you're going to give it.' Wallstedt has taken it on the chin the past year. The losses. The constructive criticism. The struggles. The internal (and external) doubts. But he sounds like a player who is comfortable in his own skin, accountable for what he did wrong and determined to prove this year was a one-off. Advertisement A veteran NHL scout who watches Iowa often said he wasn't concerned about Wallstedt because of his track record and talent. 'Sometimes it's your environment, too,' the scout said. 'You don't know what happened all year, whether he was told to get a place (in Minnesota). He started well, got hurt … It wouldn't shock me to see him come in and play 20 to 25 games in the NHL next year.' Said McLean: 'I have no doubt he'll be the Wally we all expected him to be for the Minnesota Wild. The Wallstedt the great goaltender is still there.'
