ST. LOUIS (MO)
The Kansas City Star
JIM SUHR
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS - Three priests accused of sexual abuse years ago have been defrocked, including one blamed in the alleged suicide of an ex-Marine he was said to have molested in youth, St. Louis' archbishop announced Friday "with deepest regrets to all who have been harmed."
Archbishop Raymond Burke said he launched the proceedings - what the Roman Catholic church calls laicization - last year against Michael McGrath, Donald "Father Duck" Straub and Robert Yim in light of "credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor against them."
Burke said he took the often-lengthy action "for the welfare of all children and for the welfare of the Church," and after careful examination of each allegation, the archdiocese said in a statement.
All three men, who each served in several St. Louis-area parishes, have been notified they have been "dismissed from the clerical state."
Posted by kshaw at January 28, 2005 07:04 PM