Sep 20, 2022
Rachel Mastrogiacomo was groomed for predation while studying theology in Rome to serve the Catholic church. Her predator was a deacon at the time, and later was ordained a priest, serving in San Diego. On two occasions, this now-former priest, Jacob Bertrand, held private masses with then-24 year-old Rachel, during which he raped her. He told her that in complying with her rape she was becoming Christ’s special bride. Rachel suffered devastating life consequences because of the Satanic Ritual Sexual Abuse by Bertrand. After years of silence and shame, Rachel told her diocese of the abuse, but to no avail. Her pleas for help and justice from the Diocese of San Diego, led by Bishop Robert McElroy, were ignored, denied, and deflected. Finally she was forced to go public and take her abuser to court. Bertrand ultimately confessed and was convicted of ritual rape. What triggers Rachel now and provokes revictimization is the promotion of Bishop McElroy from San Diego to the cardinalate, for he failed to act when she reported Bertrand to the diocese and is failing to protect the vulnerable from Bertrand.