For anyone interested in more than the story in Tuesday’s paper had to offer about the Rev. Gary E. Underwood, here are a few tidbits.
∫A 40-year-old physician who lives in Texas was one of the most powerful witnesses for the prosecution. He lived in the rectory at St. Odilia’s Catholic Church with Underwood in the early 1980s when he was 17 and 18, and his parents had moved out of state.
He wasn’t in much of Tuesday’s story because he wasn’t one of the victims named in the criminal case. He can’t remember whether he was abused by Underwood or not, though he remembers Underwood tried to make sexual advances toward him.
“We’d drink and he’d want to go into the jacuzzi. Numerous times there would be a foot on my inner thigh,” said the man, a 1985 graduate of Amphitheater High School.
“He’d show us (the man and his friend) his erection. I stayed away as much as I could, but he was a master predator. He’d built up this bond with my mother, so everything he said was golden…My mother would say ‘he knows best,’ stay at the rectory.”
The man said he slept on a pullout couch at the rectory. One night he woke up and Underwood was sitting on the end of his bed naked and smoking.
“He wanted me to come in and sleep on the water bed with him. He said he needed me,” said the man, who requested anonymity.
The man also described getting a letter from Underwood.
“It stated ‘I’m attracted to you, I need you, want you, love you.’
∫The physician also talked about a network of abusers in the local diocese — among them the Rev. Robert Gluch, who has since been identified by the local diocese as having credible accusations of molesting children against him.
The physician said Gluch was at St. Odilia’s in Tucson during the early 1980s, “hiding out” from angry parents in Globe, Ariz., who knew he had molested their children.
∫All of Underwood’s siblings, most of them Tucson residents, testified for the priest. So did some of his nieces and nephews.
His sister, Diann Machan, called Underwood, “the best brother you could have.”
“He’s at every social gathering. Everyone knows him, loves him.”
She also said that Underwood has medical problems. In addition to being a polio survivor, she said the priest is a prostate cancer survivor, and suffers from osteoporosis and a sleep condition that requires him to wear a breathing machine when he sleeps.
“I have a hard time believing any of the stuff I have heard today. This is a man people love dearly. My brother is a good and honorable man.”
His nieces and nephews talked about being angry over the charges, and admiring their uncle for maintaining composure. Some of his friends and colleagues said the same.
“(The abuse) is beyond the character of the man I have known for the last 10 years,” said Col. Scott Calisti, who works for the U.S. Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. “I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now. He will continue to be a close family friend.”
Heather Hannaway, a pastoral associate who works for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, said she is grieving for Underwood.
“I’ve seen many of our priests undergo these kinds of allegations,” she said. “I’m just glad he was in my life and the lives of my children. I would trust him implicitly with my children…Father Gary is simply amazing.”
∫ Prosecutor Kathy Mayer said Underwood sexually abused one boy at least 20 times over a four year period. That boy is now a 38-year-old man serving a drug-related sentence in state prison. He testified that in court that he’s been unable to kick his drug habit. The man’s parents sat in the front row of the courtroom. His mother sobbed.
∫In a statement to the Pima County Adult Probation Department Underwood said that the sexual abuse he inflicted on the boys has haunted him for more than two decades.
“I feel absolutely terrible about these offenses and I do not know what caused me to act so out of character,” he said. “I was the adult, the role model, and I abused my position of authority over these boys.”
∫The pre-sentence report said that until the sentencing, Underwood was living in Tucson with his parents after recently retiring from the Air Force, where he was a chaplain.
∫The courtroom was packed with victims’ friends and family members as well as Underwood’s friends and family members. There was quite a bit of tension between the two sides, as well as gasps during testimony from those who apparently didn’t believe the men had really been abused.
I went to Suffolk Hills Catholic High between 85 and 89, Father Gary was always around our school and sometimes our school pastor, along with Father Bob, and the Great Father Barton. There were always “rumors” about Father Gary and his actions. I have often questioned him as well. I was an alter boy at St. O’s and Father Gary gave me the creaps, just the way he would look at me and put his hands the kids around. I made it a point to avoid the man. I precieved him as a preadator, and now I know this to be true. I do not doubght this for one minute as he has said some really off the wall things to me as well.
He admits that the sexual abuse he inflicted on the boys has haunted him for decades. Yet his family and Heather Hannaway of Boston don’t believe the “allegations”. He admits it and this woman would trust her kids with him. What is wrong with these people?
I met Fr Gary in Nov. 2005. I was his last personal assistant. It is like there are two different men being talked about in the story. I knew Fr Gary has a compassionate and good man. I had a close association with him. If I thought there was any thing inappropriate happening I would have reported him myself. Knowing Fr Gary has changed my life for the better and he will always have a place in my heart. He had fantastic homilies and I always looked forward to hearing them. We accomplished many tasks for the parish church. I had many private talks with him after the “allegations” came out and I DO NOTBELIEVE for one minute that he is guilty. Jobs were in jeopardy and funds were being cut and he saved these jobs. The Catholic Church has definately lost a good priest. I miss working with him and continue praying for him and his family. You should not judge someone unless you really know them. I know Fr Gary did not committ these terrible sins because he would not have shamed his family and continued being the good priest he was. Once you have “this sickness” of being a predator the abuse continues. He would have had hundrends of victims. Everywhere Fr Gary was a pastor he would have abused young boys. However this did not happen. He had no choice to plead guilty because his life was on the line. He will always have my love and support.
Mary, read the blog. HE ADMITTED IT!! Is he a liar too? Read it. It haunted him for decades. How can you defend this child predator? He admitted it. What will it take for you Catholics to stop supporting these criminals and saying they are such great guys? Wake up!!!
Mary, in case you need to hear from a higher authority,in Matthew, Jesus says anyone who hurts a child would be better off having a millstone around his neck and be thrown into the sea. So Jesus has big plans for your wonderful priest who molests kids.
Kathy-were you a witness to the abuse? I bet not. “you Catholics” So you are not Catholic. You wake up! Once a abuser always one and Fr Gary did not abuse any child while I knew him. Jesus has plans for the so called victims. We the Catholics believe once a priest always a priest. It is stated in our BIBLE!!!!! If a priest is accused he is damned from the beginning. You did not know Fr Gary like I did. So get off your high horse and leave the man alone.
Mary, He admitted it. What part of “Underwood said that the sexual abuse he inflicted on the boys has haunted him for more than two decades” do you not understand? And how do you know he wasn’t abusing when you knew him? These creeps don’t sexually abuse kids in front of their personal assistants.
I was catholic until 2002 when I learned that my church had a history of sexually abusing kids.
Underwood’s victims are victims, not so-called victims, because he himself admitted abusing them. Again I refer you to Matthew 18:6 to learn how Jesus feels about people who hurt children. Matthew is part of the Bible too.
Kathy, All I am saying that this is not the man I know. My daughter was a victim of molestation when she was 4. So I have been on the other side of fence along with other victims. Fr Gary has been there for me when I went through several biopsys and when my brother died unexpectally. So you say well he is a priest and that what he is expected to do. Well, if it wasn’t for Fr Gary I would have lost it completely. I would not even be alive today. He has a good side also. No, I can not forgive an abuser of any kind. My soul weeps for the whole situation. I just do not know what else to say. Justice can only be served in heaven.
ok, we could debate this all day. I owe a lot to Fr Gary. I am not excusing his actions or what he said. I will continue to believe in him. This situation has been hard on everyone involved. Now Fr Gary is in prison and we all can get on with our lives.
all the good in the world doesn’t excuse your defending this criminal by calling his child victims “so-called” victims. I agree with ianna in post 8. Catholics are culpable because they still support this church which has yet to punish a single bishop. I’ll go to my grave not understanding how people with a conscience can still drop money in the basket for this corruption. I’m still ashamed I supported it for so long. May God have mercy on us all for corrupting the message of Jesus so.
I knew Father Gary in 1993 until 1996 or so at Spangdahlem AB, Germany. He was the most inspirational priest I have ever known and this whole episode just kills me. Father Gary is the reason that I received confirmation and that my faith was truly renewed and I will forever be grateful to him for that. My experience with the Father Gary at Spangdahlem was life changing in a good way…no doubt. I pray for the victims of his actions and I pray for the man that I knew as Father Gary.
You are right-he changed my spiritual life also. His homilies were memorable. I look at the situation this way…We all make mistakes in our younger life. Sometimes they come back to haunt us. This situation is sad everyone.
Mary, your hero was the adult, not the kid. He was in a position of authority and spirituality to his young victims. Imagine how his perverted crimes haunt his victims.
My perpetrator priest did a lot of good for a lot of people too. There were a lot of children he did not go after. My mother worshipped the ground he walked on. He did some good things for me too, also a lot of bad things. Manipulation is a perp’s most powerful tool. He had my mother and many other parishioners wrapped around his finger. Again, he did things at church and for others that could qualify him for sainthood. To this day I cannot trust ANYONE in a position of authority and trust. Some people still support my perp, even though he was removed by church authority and sent to rehab in Silver Springs Maryland and part of his records were made public. Even when the truth is on the table, people are still moved by this man. All part of the manipulation I guess. I guess God will sort it all out in the end at the gates of Heaven.
Pleading guilty is one thing, confessing to these crimes is another. A confession was not necessary to make a guilty plea or to make his sentence less but it is an assurance of his guilt. One I might add was a total shock to myself and my family.
In 1996 while my husband was stationed at Eglin AFB, Fr Gary came into our lives. We spent many months with him going through the rite of RCIA. Fr Gary not only baptized myself and husband but our two sons as well and gave us our First Holy Communion. We loved and respected him more than words can say he was our friend. When these allegations first came out I did not believe them. Not only because he was a man of cloth who took an oath to serve God and man but because I thought he was a man with to much honor and dignity to commit such a heinous crime against children. A crime even the most hardened criminal looks down on.
The church, a place where one SHOULD be able feel their children are safe and we learn by each of these crimes that our children can not even be safe while learning about and worshiping our Lord. So sad.
I know from personal experience that once a predator takes the INNOCENCE of a child it can NEVER be given back. I feel for his victims and just hope they will be able to live somewhat normal lives now that this trial is behind them and justice has been served.
I agree that some of the comments made about Gary have been mean and I have nothing cruel to say to Gary. I can say though that any love and respect I had for him for years is gone and only pain and confusion are left.
His victims, as well as his parishioners from over the years will be forever changed by his actions.
I was there in the courtroom and heard the victims. They’re telling the truth. It was quite a shock.
I believe the horrible abuse those (now) men and their families suffered was a great sin, and a stain on the family and friends Gary loved and loved him.
He maintained his innocence until the last moment…and those of us who supported him feel betrayed. He told us over and over he didn’t do it, he was falsely accused…
Maybe in his own mind, he believed it, too….I dunno. I also think the abuse was a “season” in his life, that he’d left behind long ago and was trying desperately to make amends.
I wish he’d told us the truth. We’d have cried for the victims, prayed for them all.
I haven’t lost my faith in Christ or His Church because of this incident, but I’ve lost my faith in Gary. I only pray that justice in this case brings healing to the victims and true repentance from Gary.
I have many questions for Fr. Gary, too. I believed in him all this time. I still consider him my friend. I wish I had been in the court room also. I cried many tears for everyone in this situation. I still think and pray for Fr. Gary everyday.
I went to Suffolk Hills Catholic High between 85 and 89, Father Gary was always around our school and sometimes our school pastor, along with Father Bob, and the Great Father Barton. There were always “rumors” about Father Gary and his actions. I have often questioned him as well. I was an alter boy at St. O’s and Father Gary gave me the creaps, just the way he would look at me and put his hands the kids around. I made it a point to avoid the man. I precieved him as a preadator, and now I know this to be true. I do not doubght this for one minute as he has said some really off the wall things to me as well.
— Patrick 08/06/2008 01:59 PM #
He admits that the sexual abuse he inflicted on the boys has haunted him for decades. Yet his family and Heather Hannaway of Boston don’t believe the “allegations”. He admits it and this woman would trust her kids with him. What is wrong with these people?
— Kathy 08/06/2008 04:20 PM #
I met Fr Gary in Nov. 2005. I was his last personal assistant. It is like there are two different men being talked about in the story. I knew Fr Gary has a compassionate and good man. I had a close association with him. If I thought there was any thing inappropriate happening I would have reported him myself. Knowing Fr Gary has changed my life for the better and he will always have a place in my heart. He had fantastic homilies and I always looked forward to hearing them. We accomplished many tasks for the parish church. I had many private talks with him after the “allegations” came out and I DO NOT BELIEVE for one minute that he is guilty. Jobs were in jeopardy and funds were being cut and he saved these jobs. The Catholic Church has definately lost a good priest. I miss working with him and continue praying for him and his family. You should not judge someone unless you really know them. I know Fr Gary did not committ these terrible sins because he would not have shamed his family and continued being the good priest he was. Once you have “this sickness” of being a predator the abuse continues. He would have had hundrends of victims. Everywhere Fr Gary was a pastor he would have abused young boys. However this did not happen. He had no choice to plead guilty because his life was on the line. He will always have my love and support.
— Mary 08/06/2008 06:03 PM #
Mary, read the blog. HE ADMITTED IT!! Is he a liar too? Read it. It haunted him for decades. How can you defend this child predator? He admitted it. What will it take for you Catholics to stop supporting these criminals and saying they are such great guys? Wake up!!!
— Kathy 08/06/2008 07:02 PM #
Mary, in case you need to hear from a higher authority,in Matthew, Jesus says anyone who hurts a child would be better off having a millstone around his neck and be thrown into the sea. So Jesus has big plans for your wonderful priest who molests kids.
— Kathy 08/06/2008 07:12 PM #
Kathy-were you a witness to the abuse? I bet not. “you Catholics” So you are not Catholic. You wake up! Once a abuser always one and Fr Gary did not abuse any child while I knew him. Jesus has plans for the so called victims. We the Catholics believe once a priest always a priest. It is stated in our BIBLE!!!!! If a priest is accused he is damned from the beginning. You did not know Fr Gary like I did. So get off your high horse and leave the man alone.
— Mary 08/07/2008 05:13 AM #
Mary, He admitted it. What part of “Underwood said that the sexual abuse he inflicted on the boys has haunted him for more than two decades” do you not understand? And how do you know he wasn’t abusing when you knew him? These creeps don’t sexually abuse kids in front of their personal assistants.
I was catholic until 2002 when I learned that my church had a history of sexually abusing kids.
Underwood’s victims are victims, not so-called victims, because he himself admitted abusing them. Again I refer you to Matthew 18:6 to learn how Jesus feels about people who hurt children. Matthew is part of the Bible too.
— Kathy 08/07/2008 06:18 AM #
Mary, it’s people like you, that continue to support guilty priests, that allow the abuse to continue.
You are just as guilty as this predator ‘priest.’ Once a priest always a priest? Maybe that’s part of the problem too.
“You’re either part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.” Eldridge Cleaver
— ianna 08/07/2008 07:32 AM #
Kathy, All I am saying that this is not the man I know. My daughter was a victim of molestation when she was 4. So I have been on the other side of fence along with other victims. Fr Gary has been there for me when I went through several biopsys and when my brother died unexpectally. So you say well he is a priest and that what he is expected to do. Well, if it wasn’t for Fr Gary I would have lost it completely. I would not even be alive today. He has a good side also. No, I can not forgive an abuser of any kind. My soul weeps for the whole situation. I just do not know what else to say. Justice can only be served in heaven.
— Mary 08/07/2008 07:42 AM #
ok, we could debate this all day. I owe a lot to Fr Gary. I am not excusing his actions or what he said. I will continue to believe in him. This situation has been hard on everyone involved. Now Fr Gary is in prison and we all can get on with our lives.
— Mary 08/07/2008 07:50 AM #
all the good in the world doesn’t excuse your defending this criminal by calling his child victims “so-called” victims. I agree with ianna in post 8. Catholics are culpable because they still support this church which has yet to punish a single bishop. I’ll go to my grave not understanding how people with a conscience can still drop money in the basket for this corruption. I’m still ashamed I supported it for so long. May God have mercy on us all for corrupting the message of Jesus so.
— Kathy 08/07/2008 08:03 AM #
I knew Father Gary in 1993 until 1996 or so at Spangdahlem AB, Germany. He was the most inspirational priest I have ever known and this whole episode just kills me. Father Gary is the reason that I received confirmation and that my faith was truly renewed and I will forever be grateful to him for that. My experience with the Father Gary at Spangdahlem was life changing in a good way…no doubt. I pray for the victims of his actions and I pray for the man that I knew as Father Gary.
— Jay 08/16/2008 11:11 PM #
Jay,
You are right-he changed my spiritual life also. His homilies were memorable. I look at the situation this way…We all make mistakes in our younger life. Sometimes they come back to haunt us. This situation is sad everyone.
— Mary 08/18/2008 09:35 AM #
Mary, your hero was the adult, not the kid. He was in a position of authority and spirituality to his young victims. Imagine how his perverted crimes haunt his victims.
— Kathy 08/19/2008 01:13 PM #
My perpetrator priest did a lot of good for a lot of people too. There were a lot of children he did not go after. My mother worshipped the ground he walked on. He did some good things for me too, also a lot of bad things. Manipulation is a perp’s most powerful tool. He had my mother and many other parishioners wrapped around his finger. Again, he did things at church and for others that could qualify him for sainthood. To this day I cannot trust ANYONE in a position of authority and trust. Some people still support my perp, even though he was removed by church authority and sent to rehab in Silver Springs Maryland and part of his records were made public. Even when the truth is on the table, people are still moved by this man. All part of the manipulation I guess. I guess God will sort it all out in the end at the gates of Heaven.
— TAG 08/21/2008 01:03 PM #
Pleading guilty is one thing, confessing to these crimes is another. A confession was not necessary to make a guilty plea or to make his sentence less but it is an assurance of his guilt. One I might add was a total shock to myself and my family.
In 1996 while my husband was stationed at Eglin AFB, Fr Gary came into our lives. We spent many months with him going through the rite of RCIA. Fr Gary not only baptized myself and husband but our two sons as well and gave us our First Holy Communion. We loved and respected him more than words can say he was our friend. When these allegations first came out I did not believe them. Not only because he was a man of cloth who took an oath to serve God and man but because I thought he was a man with to much honor and dignity to commit such a heinous crime against children. A crime even the most hardened criminal looks down on.
The church, a place where one SHOULD be able feel their children are safe and we learn by each of these crimes that our children can not even be safe while learning about and worshiping our Lord. So sad.
I know from personal experience that once a predator takes the INNOCENCE of a child it can NEVER be given back. I feel for his victims and just hope they will be able to live somewhat normal lives now that this trial is behind them and justice has been served.
I agree that some of the comments made about Gary have been mean and I have nothing cruel to say to Gary. I can say though that any love and respect I had for him for years is gone and only pain and confusion are left.
His victims, as well as his parishioners from over the years will be forever changed by his actions.
— Jamiedawn 08/22/2008 10:45 PM #
I was there in the courtroom and heard the victims. They’re telling the truth. It was quite a shock.
I believe the horrible abuse those (now) men and their families suffered was a great sin, and a stain on the family and friends Gary loved and loved him.
He maintained his innocence until the last moment…and those of us who supported him feel betrayed. He told us over and over he didn’t do it, he was falsely accused…
Maybe in his own mind, he believed it, too….I dunno. I also think the abuse was a “season” in his life, that he’d left behind long ago and was trying desperately to make amends.
I wish he’d told us the truth. We’d have cried for the victims, prayed for them all.
I haven’t lost my faith in Christ or His Church because of this incident, but I’ve lost my faith in Gary. I only pray that justice in this case brings healing to the victims and true repentance from Gary.
— A Friend 08/24/2008 09:30 AM #
I have many questions for Fr. Gary, too. I believed in him all this time. I still consider him my friend. I wish I had been in the court room also. I cried many tears for everyone in this situation. I still think and pray for Fr. Gary everyday.
— Mary 08/25/2008 08:48 AM #