Documentary record Bound by Fear
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Conviction Christian institutions & contexts Orthodox Worcester, Massachusetts, USA · 2012

United States: Antiochian Orthodox priest convicted of assaulting a parishioner during years of 'spiritual father' counseling sessions

Record class

Core record

Evidence status

Convicted

Authority role

pastor, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Worcester, MA, self-described 'spiritual father' and counselor to the victim

Organization

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Worcester, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of New England

Spiritual nexus

Abdelahad's authority derived explicitly from his self-declared role as the victim's 'spiritual father' who spoke for God and to whom obedience was owed; he used the demonic-possession/repressed-abuse frame to require years of private sessions in which the assaults occurred. Strike the claimed spiritual-father authority and the possession/therapy pretext, and the victim had no other reason to submit to the private sessions in which the beatings occurred.

  • Pastoral or clerical authority
  • Threatened spiritual consequence

Evidence structure

Proceedings

  1. 2012-05-25 · conviction, sentencing

    Worcester District Court, Massachusetts. The Very Rev. Charles Michael Abdelahad was convicted of felony assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (his shod foot) and sentenced to serve 90 days of a 2-year jail term at the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction; he was also found guilty of a separate assault and battery charge (biting the victim) and given a three-year probationary sentence.

Documented coercion mechanisms

  • claimed to be the victim's 'spiritual father' through whom God spoke, and told her she was required to obey him
  • convinced her she was possessed by demons and was repressing memories of childhood sexual abuse, used as pretext for years of private 3-5 hour 'counseling' sessions
  • sessions conducted under the guise of psychological/spiritual therapy during which he physically assaulted her

Primary record

Sources

regional broadcaster court reporting trial verdict report NECN, 'Clergy sex abuse victims upset Rev. Charles Abdelahad still active'.

Reports that Abdelahad, pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, was convicted in May 2012 of abusing parishioner Susan Manter during counseling sessions at the church and sentenced to 90 days of a two-year term.

regional newspaper court reporting civil complaint report Voices from Russia (2013) 'Abuse Victim Sues St George's Former Pastor, Church', reprinting Worcester Telegram & Gazette reporting.

Details the civil suit: Abdelahad told Manter he was her 'spiritual father' through whom God spoke and that she was required to obey him; he convinced her she was possessed by demons and repressing memories of childhood sexual abuse by her father, requiring twice-weekly 3-5 hour private 'counseling' sessions from 2007 to September 2010 during which he hit, kicked, bit, and slapped her, including with a baseball bat, causing broken bones and concussions.

advocacy organization report post conviction status report SNAP, 'MA - Convicted priest is back in church'.

Confirms the May 2012 criminal conviction and notes Abdelahad's return to active ministry, prompting victim-advocate objections.

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