Bruce Ritter

Diagnoses

Passions

Vocation

Lifestyle

Notable

American ecclesiastic, a Roman Catholic priest in the Franciscan order who became known as the "Mother Theresa of Times Square." In 1968 he began sheltering kids on the lower East Side and within four years he established Covenant House, incorporated on 11/14/1972. It was so successful in getting kids off the streets and drug territory and into jobs and work programs that by 1976, he was asked by Cardinal Terrance Cooke to open a similar shelter on Times Square. It led eventually to the establishment of shelters in a number of major American cities, spreading further to South America. Over the years, Father Bruce's work was recognized by many awards including the Jefferson Award, given by President Ronald Reagan. In December 1989, a seriously disturbed runaway, Kevin Kite, alleged sexual misconduct at a shelter. The boy's father went on TV to denounce his son as a habitual liar who compulsively hurt anyone who tried to help him, but the damage was done. More allegations surfaced, mostly from kids who had serious mental or emotional problems. Nonetheless the Franciscans asked Father Bruce to take a leave of absence while the charges were under examination. The official investigators, Kroll Associates, made a damaging statement; "None of the allegations, when viewed individually, can be proven beyond question. Nevertheless, in view of the cumulative evidence, had he not resigned, his termination would have been required. Charges of improper conduct are impossible to rebut .... he exercised unacceptably poor judgment in his relations with certain residents." Father Bruce resigned from Covenant House on 2/27/1990. He left the Franciscan order and lives as a recluse on a farm in upstate New York, still protesting his innocence. He died of Hodgkin's disease on October 7, 1999. Link to Wikipedia biography