Parishioners Upset about Priest Investigation, by Denise Koch, WJZ, February 26, 2008

Parishioners Upset about Priest Investigation

By Denise Koch
WJZ
February 26, 2008

http://wjz.com/local/mike.salerno.2.663264.html

Anger from members of one Baltimore Catholic church. Their priest was removed after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenager. Now, months later, these parishioners say they're being kept in the dark and they're demanding answers.

"You know, the light shines on this candle but certainly we're not getting any light from our council or our church," said Giovanna Blatterman.

Outrage from members of Saint Leo's Roman Catholic Church over the abrupt departure of their beloved priest Father Mike Salerno.

Photo by CBS

"We don't know," said Karen Klima. "That's one of the big problems here. As a parish, we don't know."

Parishioners were shut out of the closed door meeting.

Father Salerno led St. Leo's for more than a decade but was removed in November after charges surfaced that he sexually abused a child more than 30 years ago in Brooklyn when the accuser was a young teen and Salerno, a lay brother, not yet a priest.

Despite the allegations, these church members are standing by Salerno.

"Father Mike has touched and influenced in a positive way so many people," Klima said. "To me, we're all human. No one is above reproach. We all make mistakes."

Salerno has neither admitted nor denied the charges and the order of priests has asked other possible victims to come forward.

Victims of priest abuse say such fierce community support is dangerous before the investigation is complete and that many times it takes years before allegations come to light.

"Because of the shame that we carry, that we think it's our fault. we think we're the only ones and we think we're gonna be chastised for it," said Francis Bacon.

The Baltimore archdiocese is not commenting about the case.

"You know, the light shines on this candle but certainly we're not getting any light from our council or our church," said Giovanna Blatterman.Outrage from members of Saint Leo's Roman Catholic Church over the abrupt departure of their beloved priest Father Mike Salerno."We don't know," said Karen Klima. "That's one of the big problems here. As a parish, we don't know."Parishioners were shut out of the closed door meeting. Father Salerno led St. Leo's for more than a decade but was removed in November after charges surfaced that he sexually abused a child more than 30 years ago in Brooklyn when the accuser was a young teen and Salerno, a lay brother, not yet a priest.Despite the allegations, these church members are standing by Salerno. "Father Mike has touched and influenced in a positive way so many people," Klima said. "To me, we're all human. No one is above reproach. We all make mistakes."Salerno has neither admitted nor denied the charges and the order of priests has asked other possible victims to come forward.Victims of priest abuse say such fierce community support is dangerous before the investigation is complete and that many times it takes years before allegations come to light."Because of the shame that we carry, that we think it's our fault. we think we're the only ones and we think we're gonna be chastised for it," said Francis Bacon.The Baltimore archdiocese is not commenting about the case.