Sex offender ordained pastor

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Leaders of a church in Louisville, Ky., were naive in ordaining a convicted child molester as a pastor, some neighborhood residents say.

Mark Hourigan, 41, was ordained Sunday at The City of Refuge Worship Center as protesters gathered outside, WHAS-TV, Louisville, reported Monday.

"I know from my abuse that we look up to ministers and priests and that status gives him more power and that's what sex abuse is all about: it's a power play," said Colleen Powell, the local leader of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.

Hourigan was convicted of two counts of abuse and served four years in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-boy in 1998, WHAS-TV reported.

Last week, Hourigan told CNN he had been rehabilitated and wanted to share his love of god with others. The church's senior pastor, Randy Meadows, has promised the community will be safe.

"I want people to know that the church will not put children, members of the church or brother Mark in harm's way, in any way," Meadows told CNN.