JOLIET (IL)
The Herald News
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
JOLIET — Joliet Bishop Joseph Imesch said in a letter to worshippers that he cares about the safety of children despite questions about how he has handled reports of alleged sexual misconduct by priests.
The letter, which was read in parishes over the weekend, responded to news reports of a 2005 deposition in which Imesch said he allowed at least four priests to continue working after he received credible allegations of misconduct.
"The media reports tend to portray me as someone who doesn't care about the safety of children," Imesch wrote. "Nothing could be further from the truth. I became a priest because I care."
The diocese tried to keep the deposition from the public, arguing the release would cause the allegations to be tried in the news media. DuPage County Judge Stephen Culliton ruled to unseal it Feb. 2.