ST. JOSEPH (MO)
TheKansasCityChannel.com
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The name of a priest who died in 2002 will be removed temporarily from the chapel at a Boy Scout camp, at the request of people who allege that the Rev. Sylvester Hoppe had sexually abused them years ago.
According to a news release issued by the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the board of directors voted Monday to make the change at Camp Geiger "pending further information regarding accusations of abuse" made against the priest.
Hoppe, ordained in 1946, served parishes throughout northwest Missouri and was active in Scouting for 75 years. The chapel at the camp in St. Joseph was named for him in 1999.
"Father Hoppe loved Scouting," council president Bill McMurray said in a statement. "It is our belief that if Father Hoppe were alive today, he would have been the first to request the removal of his name from the chapel because he never would have wanted this controversy to negatively impact Scouting or the youth in our council."
Posted by kshaw at September 28, 2005 09:02 AM