Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Diocese probes allegations against priests

SPRINGFIELD — Catholic Bishop George Lucas and attorney Bill Roberts promised Thursday a "thorough, open-minded and unbiased" probe into allegations of misconduct involving priests of the diocese.

...this approach is uncommon in the church, but was used in the Albany, N.Y., diocese when another former U.S. attorney, Mary Jo White, was hired to investigate charges against Albany’s Bishop Howard Hubbard. According to stories in the Oneonta (N.Y.) Daily Star, White was hired a year ago. She billed the diocese’s sexual misconduct review board $770 an hour for her own work and lesser amounts for other lawyers and investigators. Four months later, White’s report cleared Hubbard of accusations of sexual misconduct.

Creation of the commission and Roberts’ appointment were criticized by Stephen Brady of Petersburg, president of Roman Catholic Faithful, a group that has made numerous allegations of priestly misconduct in the past nine years. Brady said the investigation would have "no credibility" if he were not a member of the commission.
Article.

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