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	Portland Archdiocese Releases Accused Priests' Personnel Files By Colin Fogarty Public NewsRoom June 13, 2007 http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1094052 Portland, OR 2007-06-07 The Archdiocese of Portland released a series of documents today Wednesday from the personnel files of priests accused of molesting children. Church officials agreed to release the papers when they settled a massive bankruptcy case in April involving about 150 claimants. Colin Fogarty reports. The documents range from the innocuous to legalistic to deeply anguished. This is only a portion of all the papers the church has agreed to release. Some are waiting for attorneys to notify those who might be identified in the documents. Others are in dispute and a mediator will decide whether to release them. In reading the papers, one observation becomes quickly obvious: Church officials knew of accusations of sexual misconduct against their priests and struggled over what to do about it. Take the file of Father Aldo Orso-Manzanetta, a priest at Portland State University's Newman Center and at Saint Michael's Parish. A 1983 memo from a church official named John Bruillard indicates that the priest everyone called Father Aldo was accused of making sexual advances toward a 19- or 20-year-old man. There were also reports that he solicited two male prostitutes. Bruillard wrote that Archbishop Robert Dwyer had a meeting about it. The church documents are read here by actors. John Bruillard (read by Scott Silver): "In their discussion, Archbishop Dwyer revealed the fact that Father Aldo had a homosexual problem. That seems to be the end of the story." Another report at the time indicated that a parishioner at All Saints Parish called to say that her son told her that Father Aldo sexually abused him at All Saints grade school. The minutes of a July 1983 meeting between the accused priest and Bishop Paul Waldschmidt show that Father Aldo flatly denied the charges. Another priest, Father Joseph Wood, recorded those minutes. Fr. Joseph Wood (read by Chris Zier): "Bishop Waldschmidt asked Father Aldo directly if Father Aldo had a problem with his sexuality and indicated that the Archdiocese was willing to provide whatever help might be necessary. Father Aldo stated that there was no problem and reiterated that the rumors and charges arose out of his honest efforts to assist young men who needed help." There are no indications the Archdiocese reported Orso-Manzanetta to authorities. And the letters show no attempt to reach out to possible victims. That was 1983. Then in 1988, there was a confidential memo from Father Richard Huneger titled "Concerned call about Boys in the Rectory," about reports of boys spending the night with Orso-Manzanetta. Church officials worried it might lead to a scandal. But in handwritten note, Archbishop William Leveda wrote... William Leveda (read by Tom Doggett): "Father Aldo gave me his assurance he would not continue this practice." Four years later in 1992, another complaint came in about Father Aldo, that a young man appeared to be spending a lot of time with him at the rectory. June 1994, Father Lienert wrote a memo Charles Leinerrt (read by Steven Vaughn Kray): "I explained to [Father Aldo] we have some serious concern because of a number of allegations which have been made. These records are discoverable should someone choose to sue us." Two months later, Leinert wrote another memo saying that Father Aldo denied the relationship with the young man that appeared to be spending a lot of time at the rectory. But as far as that original complaint back in 1983, the priest admitted to as Leinert put it, sexually acting out with young men 20 years ago. In July 1994, a Doctor Christopher Eskeli did a psychological evaluation suggesting Doctor Christopher Eskeli (read by Vince Patton): "This is a man who uses a great deal of repression in his life. He seems to be very concerned and almost naive about the possible allegations and even about the rumors than have persisted in almost every parish in which he has served in the last several years. He does not offer any explanation for the rumors and simply states he is outgoing and likes people and often times this is misinterpreted." Father Aldo Orso-Manzanetta retired not long after that in 1994, though that evaluation indicated that he planned to continue a radio show and some parish work. He died in 1996, six years before the Archdiocese adopted a zero-tolerance policy of priests facing credible claims of abuse. Archdiocese spokesman Bud Bunce says the accusations against Orso-Manzanetta appeared to church officials at the time to be rumors. No claims came in against the priest until after 2000. Those were all settled.
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