BishopAccountability.org
	Santa Rosa Bishop Changes the Diocese Sex Abuse Reporting Policy Associated Press, carried in San Francisco Chronicle [Santa Rosa] May 16, 2007 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/16/state/n185053D13.DTL&hw=catholic&sn=003&sc=543 The Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa has changed its policy on reporting sex abuse after its bishop attended a counseling program that allowed him to avoid criminal charges. Bishop Daniel Walsh was offered the five-month diversion program in lieu of facing charges for his delay in reporting suspected child sex abuse by the Rev. Francisco Xavier Ochoa. As part of the program, Walsh said he met with local leaders in the fight against child abuse. "It was that exposure to the resources we have in this community that was an eye-opener to me," he said. Walsh said diocesan staff will receive more frequent training on state laws on reporting possible sex abuse to authorities. The diocese also will create a separate policy highlighting those requirements, Walsh said. Authorities believe that Ochoa fled to Mexico several days after meeting with Walsh and other church officials in 2006, where he admitted that he offered a boy $100 to strip dance in front of him and that he kissed two boys. After the meeting, Walsh removed Ochoa from his duties, but waited three days to report the allegations to authorities. Critics say that delay may have allowed Ochoa enough time to flee.
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