Former Altar Boy Speaks Out About Church Files

Manny Vega spent part of the day combing through newly released disciplinary files of priests including one from Camarillo.The former police detective and owner of Anacapa Industries was a former altar boy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Oxnard’s La Colonia neighborhood.That’s where Vega says he was molested by the priest in charge of altar boys.Vega says Father Fidencio Silva started molested him when he was 10 years old and continued until he was 15.Silva would ask boys to pose nude for paintings and groom them to be abused.Prosecutors attempted to locate Silva in Mexico where he was stationed a decade ago but he was never found.Silva would be about 63 now.Vega is disappointed that the files have the names and titles redacted or blacked out.Vega once returned rosary beads Cardinal Mahoney gave him during his one man protest in Los Angeles.Vega blames the retired Cardinal and his former aide Thomas Curry for hiding the information that could have led to criminal prosecutions.The church promoted Curry.Curry is now the Bishop in charge of the Santa Barbara and Ventura County region.Vega says the public has been desensitized by child abuse.He says no one should get away with raping children.Vega says what happened is grotesque.The married father received more than a million dollars from a global settlement with the church years ago.But that has not stopped him from trying to hold people accountable.Share your comments about this story with us on the KEY News Facebook page. Connect with KEY News on Twitter