Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Gang tied to Episcopal Church

The New York Daily News reports that an Episcopal priest has been 'blessing' the children of members of the Latin Kings gang.

The money quote:
One son was blessed at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Morningside Heights four years ago during a quasi-religious ceremony. "It's like a christening," he said. "The priest holds the baby and we say our prayer at the same time. We have to have the window open and the baby pointed toward the sun."


The priest has been relieved of his position, but is apparently unrepentant. I've put his resume in the comments (I can not seem to be able to link to it in a reproducible way).

I have nothing to add. I'm gobsmacked.

7 comments:

Andrew said...

Your original post doesn't really convey a sense of what was happening. The priest was blessing the initiation of these infants INTO THE GANG!!!

The best quote was where the priest said that the Crips, Bloods, and Latin Kings were not 'criminal organizations'!!!

Perpetua said...

I can't seem to access the resume.

Although I don't know about either of these two groups mentioned in the article, the reporter seems to view them as gangs:

One Espicopal priest who "blessed-in" about 300 children kids into the Association Neta and the Latin Kings said he did not see anything wrong with the ceremony.

"It's not a criminal organization," said the Rev. Luis Barrios, who is also a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Barrios was removed from St. Mary's after tussling with his superiors in the Episcopal church.

"It's a street organization with the capacity to bring together young people in search of power, collective identity ... [and] belonging in the society that's rejecting them," Barrios said.

mousestalker said...

Sorry about the bad link. Here it is, in full:

The Rev. Luis Barrios, Ph.D., STM

Diplomate & Board Certified Forensic Examiner


Office: John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Puerto Rican/Latin American Studies Department

445 W. 59th St., Rm. 3234N

New York, NY 10019

Tel. (212) 237-8747; Fax (212) 237-8742

Home: 216-75 Street

North Bergen, NJ 07047

Tel. (917) 697-7056

E-Mail: lbarrios@jjay.cuny.edu


EDUCATION


GENERAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

New York, NY

S.T.M., Master in Sacred Theology (Cultural Theology), 1992


NEW YORK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

New York, NY

M.Div., Master in Divinity, 1990


CARLOS ALBIZU UNIVERSITY

(Caribbean Center for Advanced Studies)

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, 1983


WORLD UNIVERSITY

San Juan, Puerto Rico

B.A., Psychology and Management, 1978


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE


JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CUNY)

New York, NY

Associate Professor, 1/1995 - Present

Courses: Political Psychology, Latino Psychology, Ethnic Studies, Latino/a Gangs, Urban Conflicts, the Psychology of Violence, Criminal Justice & Human Rights.




COLLEGE OF NEW ROCHELLE-NYTS CAMPUS

New York, NY

Adjunct Professor, 9/1990-5/2003

Courses: Forensic Psychology, Criminal Justice, Human Development, Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology & Psychology and Religion.


PALENQUE: FAMILY LIFE CENTER- JOHN JAY COLLEGE

New York, NY

Director & Principal Investigator

After School Youth Violence Prevention Program, in the Washington Heights Community. 2000-Present


EL DIARIO LA PRENSA

New York, NY

Weekly Columnist - 1998-Present


ST. MARY'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

New York, New York

Associate Priest, 10/94- Present

Sacraments, liturgy, community activism, and peace and justice programs


ST. ANN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Bronx, New York

Priest in Charge- 2/1992- 5/1994

Sacraments, community activism, and peace and justice programs


HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE (CUNY)

Bronx, NY

Adjunct Assistant Professor, 9/1992 - 5/1994

Behavioral & Social Science Department

Courses: Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, General Psychology


NEW YORK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - SING SING CORRECTIONAL FACILITY-Graduate Program

Ossining, NY

Adjunct Professor, 9/1991 - 5/1995

Courses: Pastoral Psychology


HUNTS POINT MULTI-SERVICE CENTER

630 Jackson Avenue, Bronx, NY 10455

Part Time Senior Clinical Psychologist, 6/1991 - 2/1992

Mental Health Clinic

Children evaluation; Individual and group psychotherapy for children and adolescents; Family psychotherapy; Consultant to the child day care; Parents group


BRONX ALCOHOLISM TREATMENT CENTER

1500 Waters Place, Bronx, NY 10461

Senior Clinical Psychologist & Coordinator Hispanic Unit, 9/1988 - 6/1991

Individual and group psychotherapy for people in recovery; Family psychotherapy; Taught Alcoholism & other Drug courses.


MERCY COLLEGE; BRONX CAMPUS & SING SING CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

Bronx, NY 10461

Adjunct Professor, 9/1989 - 5/1990

Behavioral & Social Science Department

Courses: Child Psychopathology, Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Criminal Justice, Psychology & the Law


NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE

722 West 168 St. New York, NY 10032

Research Assistant, 9/1986 - 4/1988

Epidemiology of Mental Disorders

Research: Longitudinal Studies in Child Psychopathology and Drug Abuse


LINCOLN HOSPITAL

149 St., Bronx, NY 10451

Senior Psychologist, 7/1985 - 8/1986

Children Evaluation and Rehabilitation Clinic

Children psycho-educational evaluations; Referrals to the Board of Education; Play Therapy; Taught parenting skills and child discipline.


THE COUNCIL=S CENTER FOR PROBLEMS OF LIVING

1737 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10031

Senior Psychologist, 10/1983 - 12/1988

Child and Adolescent Unit

Children and adolescent psychological evaluation; Individual and group therapy; Parents group; Consultant to the child day care, drug rehabilitation groups.

Courses: General Psychology; Child Psychopathology; Deviant Psychology

BORICUA COLLEGE

New York, NY

Adjunct Professor, 8/1983 - 12/1988

Courses: General Psychology; Deviant Behavior, Child/Adolescent Psychopathology, Deviant Psychology, the Psychology of Substances Abuse


BOARD OF EDUCATION

Brooklyn, NY

Bilingual Psychologist (Consultant)

Children evaluations and team conferences: Summer sessions



RESEARCH AWARDS


2001-2003 Research Award: Recipient with Prof. José Luis Morín, Chair of the Puerto Rican/Latin American Studies Department, for a three-year evaluation and research program; “Family and Community Violence Prevention Program.”


2001 Conference Award: Recipient, with Dr. David C. Brotherton, of a grant award from Executive Vice Chancellor Mirrer to organized the International Conference, Globalizing the Streets: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Youth, Social Control, and Empowerment in the New Millennium” that was held at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, May 2-5, 2001.


1998 Research Award: Recipient with Dr. David Brotherton of a 1998-1999 PSC-CUNY Research Award for the following project: “The Asociación Ñeta in Puerto Rico: A prison gang study.”


1997 Research Award: Recipient with Dr. David Brotherton of a 1997-1998 PSC-CUNY Research Award for the following project: "Homeboys, Homegirls and Schooling: A Comparative Case Study of Gang Member's Experience of Education."


1997 Research Award: Recipient of a 1997-1998 CUNY Dispute Resolution Consortium Research Award for the following project: "The Role of the Church in Resolving Conflicts among Street Organizations."


1996 Research Award: Recipient with Dr. David Brotherton of a 1996-1997 Spencer Foundation Award for a Comparative Case Study of the Latin Kings/Queens, Ñetas, and Zulu Nation and the Experience with Education.


1996 Sanctuary Project: Using St. Mary's Episcopal Church as a sanctuary in where street organizations (e.g., Latin Kings/Queens, Ñetas and Zulu Nation) have their meetings and at the same time they get involved with alternatives to violence, mediation, conflict resolution, community activism, and spiritual direction.


OTHER AWARDS

2004-Worker’s Rights Award. New York Jobs With Justice.


2003 – Pride Award for outstanding leadership. Puerto Rican Studies Association, John Jay College of Criminal Justice.


2000 Life Time Achievement Award for outstanding leadership. Puerto Rican Studies Association, John Jay College of Criminal Justice.


2000 Pride Award for outstanding leadership in developing and advocating an AIDS Theology (Teología del SIDA). The Programa Solidaridad en el Evangelio con la Prevención del SIDA & the National Evangelical University (July 2000).


Los Pleneros 1999 Pride Award for outstanding leadership in advocating the Puerto Rican Culture- Los Pleneros de la 21 (December 1999).


The 1999 Pro-Libertad Freedom Award in acknowledgment of the contribution & work in the Amnesty Campaign for the Freedom of the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners & Prisoners of War (August 1999).


Julia de Burgos Cultural Award for promoting Puerto Rican Culture-Centro Cultural Puertorriqueño de Nueva York (June 1998).


1997 Pride Award for outstanding leadership in advocating the development and empowerment of the Puerto Rican transgender, bisexual, lesbian, and gay community. The Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment (October 1997).


Recognition for Commitment to the Latino Community-Latino Diversity Club-John Jay College of Criminal Justice (October 1997).


Exceptional Service as Faculty Advisor-Association for Puerto Rican Studies, John Jay College of Criminal justice (May 1997)


Commitment to the Dominican students. @Lo Mejor de lo Nuestro@- Dominican Students Association-John Jay College of Criminal Justice. (May 1997)


Commitment to AIDS Awareness- Student Committee for Individual with DisABILITIES, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (December 1996)


For outstanding contribution to the Criminology Sciences-Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo) Department of Juridical Sciences, Dominican Republic. (November 1996)


Faculty Fellow Scholarship-Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College (Fall 1996)


The Ernestine Adderley Memorial Award-Health Force Women and Men against AIDS (December 1995)

Outstanding Community Leader Award- The Association for Puerto Rican Studies, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (November 1995)


Blanton-Peale Institute of Religion and Mental Health (August 1995)



PUBLICATIONS


Books:


Brotherton, D.C. & Barrios, L. (2004). The Almighty Latin King and

Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang. New York: Columbia University Press.


Barrios, L. (2004). Pitirreando: De la desesperanza a la esperanza. San

Juan, Puerto Rico: Editorial Edil, Inc.


Kontos, L., Brotherton, D.C. & Barrios, L. (2003). Gangs and Society:

Alternative Perspective (Eds.). New York: Columbia University Press.


Barrios, L. (2000). Josconiando: Dimensiones sociales y políticas de la

espiritualidad. Editora Aguiar: Dominican Republic.


Chapters & Articles:


Barrios, L. (2001). Since 1997, I write a weekly column in El Diario La Prensa,

a Spanish-language newspaper in New York City.


.

Barrios, L. & Curtis, R. (1998). The Impact of the War on Drugs on Puerto Ricans: A Lost Generation. In Jefferson Fish (Ed.), How to Legalize Drugs. New Jersey: Jason Aronson, Inc. pp. 102-128.


Barrios, L. (1998). ASanta María@ as a Liberating Zone: A Community Church in Search of Restorative Justice. Humanity & Society, February, Volume 22, No. 1, pp.55-78.


Barrios, L. (1997). The War on Drugs: The fuel for violence in our urban cities. In Violeta González-Bonilla & Teresita Soto-Falto (Eds.) La Violencia y el Sistema de Justicia Criminal. Puerto Rico: Inter American University Press. Pp. 104-122.


Brotherton, D.C. & Barrios, L. (1997). Notes on Prisons in the Dominican Republic. Humanity & Society, November, Volume 21, No. 4, pp.425-434.



WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES


2004 “Bridging the Gender Gap.”

Sponsor: 4th Annual New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs. Sunday, February 8, 2004; Rutgers School of Law-Center for Law and Justice, Newark, New Jersey.


2003 “Reason, Compassion and Justice”

Sponsor: The Drug Policy Alliance 2003 Biennial Conference; November 508, 2003, Meadowlands, New Jersey.


2003 “Deportees and Society.”

Deportados y Sociedad: Seminario Internacional.

Sponsor: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo; March 11 & 12, 2003. Dominican Republic.


2002 “Crime and the Role of the Church.”

Sponsor: This paper was presented in the 6th Annual Hispanic Lecture in Theology and Religion, General Theological Seminary, New York, NY, April 10, 2002.


2001 “Gang as Social and Economic Actors in the New World Order: Latin Kings and Queens Nation in New York City.”

Sponsor: This paper was presented in the Fifth National Conference on Family and Community Violence Prevention, Los Angeles, CA, April 2-7, 2001.


2001 “Espiritualidad Latina: reconstructing a Church that feels and acts with the people.”

Sponsor: This paper was presented in the 6th Annual Hispanic Lecture in Theology and Religion, Drew University, Mdioson, New Jersey, March 7, 2001.


2000 "Reality Bites: Deconstructing Traditional Psychological Paradigms as a Mean of Understanding the Transition of the Latin Kings from a Gang to a Street Organization"

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the "50t Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, Washington, D.C., August 2000.


2000 AMulticultural Relations: Evaluating the Past, Assessing the Present, and Predicting the Future.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the AKnowing Our Multicultural Conectedness: A Collective Journey to Becoming...@ conference held by The Multicultural Awareness Committee, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, April 6, 2000.


2000 AGuerreros Humildes: La lucha por la justicia en las cárceles de Puerto Rico@ (Humble Warriors: The struggle for justice in the prison system in Puerto Rico).

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the VI International Criminology Conference held at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, February 24, 2000.


1999 APower, Control, and Engaging Marginal Groups.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at Lexington School and Center for the Deaf, New York City, June 15, 1999.


1999.

AThe Latin Kings/Queens Nation in New York City: Spiritual Resistance, Collective Identity, and the Politic of Meaning.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, AExplaining and Preventing Crime: The Globalization of Knowledge@ held in Toronto, Canada, November 17-20, 1999.


1999 ALatino/a Culture, Gays, and Lesbians.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the Beyond Inclusion: Making the Justice Connections Conference held at St. Bartholomew=s Church, New York City, April 15-18, 1999.


1999 ALiberation Theology and Land Reform.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the Henry George School in New York City, March 26, 1999.


1998 AHomegirls and Street Organizations: Latin Queens in New York City.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the gang symposium, AAlternative Perspectives on Gangs & The Community@ held at John Jay College of Criminal Justice from October 2-3, 1998.


1998 AStreet Gangs, Street Organizations, and Social Resistance in New York City.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented on October 14, 1998, at The Conflicts Lab, London.


1998 AStreet Organizations: Identity Construction and Politics in Post Industrial New York City.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at The American Society of Criminology 1998 Annual Conference held in Washington, D.C. from November 11-14, 1998.


1998 ARethinking Pandillas: Latinization of Social Resistance in New York City.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at The Association for Humanistic Sociology held at Austin, Texas from November 19-22, 1998.


1998 AThe Legalization of Drugs: Myths and Realities.@

Sponsor: This paper was presented at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on July 17, 1998.


1997 ANew York State Political Science Conference@

Sponsor: New York State Political Science Association

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, New York


1997 AViolence and the Criminal Justice System@

Sponsor: Inter-American University of Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico


1996 AInternational Conference: Criminology@

Sponsor: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

1996 APsychology and the Law@

Sponsor: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic


1995 AMediation & Conflict Resolutions@

Sponsor: Northern Manhattan Inwood Coalition

New York, NY


1994 AChildren of Alcoholics@

Sponsor: New York State Psychiatric Institute

New York, NY


1993 Cultural Theology, the Church & Drugs

Sponsor: Union Theological Seminary

New York, NY


1992 Environmental Racism & Child Psychopathology

Sponsor: South Bronx Clean Air Coalition

Bronx, NY


1992 AIDS/SIDA and Mental Health

Sponsor: New York University

New York, NY


1991 Spirituality: A Tool for Treatment in Drug Rehabilitation Setting

Sponsor: Bronx State Psychiatric Hospital

1500 Waters Place, Bronx, NY


1991 Child Hyperactivity and Cocaine Addiction

Sponsor: Bronx Alcoholism Treatment Center

1500 Waters Place, Bronx, NY


1991 Children Behavior in Drug Environment

Sponsor: Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Albany, NY


1990 Clinical Supervision in the Drug Rehabilitation Setting

Sponsor: Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Albany, NY


1990 Alcoholism, Other Drugs and AIDS: Clinical Issues

Sponsor: Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Albany, NY

1989 Attention Deficit Disorder

Sponsor: The American Health Care Institute

New York, NY


1989 AIDS, ARC, and HIV Positive

Sponsor: Bureau of AIDS Counseling and Testing

Department of Health

Bronx, NY


1988 Interviewing and Treatment Planning with Substance Abuse Clients

Sponsor: The American Heath Care Institute

New York, NY


1988 DSM III - R

Sponsor: New York State Psychiatric Institute

New York, NY


1987 Child Psychiatric Epidemiology

Sponsor: Columbia University

New York, New York


1987 Genetic Psychiatry

Sponsor: Union Theological Seminary

New York, NY


1987 Psychiatry and Religion

Sponsor: Union Theological Seminary

New York, NY


1987 Gay and Lesbian Psychological and Religious Issues in Counseling

Sponsor: Union Theological Seminary

New York, NY



HONORS AND RECOGNITION


-Recognition as one of New York 25 Most Influential Latinos, by The New York Post during Hispanic Month, October 15, 2003.


-Certificate of Appreciation in recognition for outstanding service to the youth of the nation and their families in the Family and Community Violence Prevention Program. April 2, 2003.


-Certificate of Appreciation in recognition for participation in the work of the Principal Investigator’s Ad Hoc Committee on Curriculum and Evaluation or the Family and Community Violence Prevention Program. April 2, 2003.


- Certificate for publications in the field of Gender Studies. Women History Month-The President, the Provost, the Women Study’s Committee and the Minor in Gender Studies, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. March 2001-Women’s History Month.


-Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding services to the Dominican Community in New York. The Dominican Republic Consulate. (March 2000).


-Certificate of Appreciation -Environmental Justice -for community activism against environmental racism in the South Bronx. (May 1999).


-Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding service and generous contribution to people of the African Diasporic Community: The Organization of Black Students-John Jay College of Criminal Justice. (April 1998).


-Certificate of Appreciation as Faculty Advisor to the Puerto Rican Studies Association (1996-1997): Faculty Senate-John Jay College of Criminal Justice.


-Certificate of Appreciation as Faculty Advisor to the Puerto Rican Studies Association (1995-1996):


Faculty Senate-John Jay College of Criminal Justice.











VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS


-Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo), Dominican Republic- Department of Judicial and Political Sciences. Summer Course: Deportees and Human Rights. June 2003.


-Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo), Dominican Republic- Department of Judicial and Political Sciences. I developed and taught a three day (July 17-21, 2000) advanced course: "State Crime: Colonialism in Puerto Rico.”


-Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico- Criminal Justice Graduate Program. I taught a course that I developed on 1997: “Psychological Aspects of the Criminal Justice System in Latin American and the Caribbean.”


-Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico-Criminal Justice Graduate Program. I developed and taught a summer course (June 1997): "Psychological Aspects of the Criminal Justice System in Latin American and the

Caribbean.


-Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo), Dominican Republic- Department of Judicial and Political Sciences. I developed and taught a three day (November 17-19, 1996) advanced course: "Psychology and the Law."



PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

$ American Psychological Association

$ American College of Forensic Examiners



BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

$ St. Ann=s Corner of Harm Reduction-Needle Exchange

$ Pastors for Peace

$ New York Jobs with Justice

$ Dispute Resolution Consortium-CUNY

The New York Worker’s Rights Board


SPECIAL SKILLS

$ Bi-lingual & Bi-Cultural (Spanish-English)

$ Computer literate


REFERENCES

Available upon request.

2


I found it via googling his name and the word 'priest'

Anonymous said...

Not surprising from the Liberation Theology gang.

"It's a street organization with the capacity to bring together young people in search of power, collective identity ... [and] belonging in the society that's rejecting them,"

Sure I understand. A gang is not a criminal organization but only a vehicle for the disenfranchised proletariat to throw off the oppression of the racist capitalist pigs... totally benign.

Yeah right.

Perpetua said...

I do see from the CV that he has been writing sympathetically about these gangs for some time:

2001 “Gang as Social and Economic Actors in the New World Order: Latin Kings and Queens Nation in New York City.”


2000 AThe Latin Kings/Queens Nation in New York City: Spiritual Resistance, Collective Identity, and the Politic of Meaning.


1998 AHomegirls and Street Organizations: Latin Queens in New York City


1998 AStreet Gangs, Street Organizations, and Social Resistance in New York City

CónegoZ+ said...

Latin Kings not a gang, but "a street organization with the capacity to bring together young people in search of power, collective identity ... [and] belonging in the society that's rejecting them"???

If so, it's the best-armed 'street organization' around. Makes me wonder if the good priest didn't write his thesis at General with spray paint on an overpass...

Unknown said...

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