CINCINNATI (OH)
Cincinnati Enquirer
By Dan Horn
Enquirer staff writer
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati suspended three priests today because of accusations of sexual abuse involving children.
Church officials said the decision to suspend the priests - Michael Paraniuk, Stanley Doerger and David Vincent - came after an independent tribunal awarded compensation payments earlier this week to their accusers.
The tribunal is responsible for evaluating claims of abuse and deciding how much, if any, money alleged victims are entitled to receive. The tribunal has sent checks totaling $3.2 million to 120 of the 134 people who filed claims.
Although tribunal members said they did not use a legal standard of proof in deciding the claims, church officials said the decision to award the accusers money convinced them to suspend the three priests.
Church officials said two of the priests, Paraniuk and Doerger, had been accused previously but neither allegation was found to have the "semblance of truth" that U.S. bishops have said is necessary to suspend priests.
Posted by kshaw at March 9, 2005 03:18 PM