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	Inspection Aims to Find Pedophile Clergymen By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola Gallup Independent May 15, 2009 http://www.gallupindependent.com/2009/05May/051409inspectionaims.html GALLUP — Officials with the Diocese of Gallup announced details of their review of priest personnel files on the same day Minnesota attorney Patrick Noaker announced he had filed a third priest abuse lawsuit against the Gallup Diocese in the Navajo Nation courts. This current review of personnel files — reportedly an exhaustive review of more than 400 files — was triggered earlier this year when Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, then serving as the diocese's apostolic administrator, discovered a 1983 newspaper article from Winslow, Ariz., in the personnel file of the Rev. John Boland. The article indicated Boland had been charged with misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and a felony count of committing a lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 15. Olmsted removed Boland from ministry, launched an investigation into allegations against Boland, and then ordered the review of personnel files. Now Bishop James S. Wall, a former priest under Olmsted and the newly installed bishop of Gallup, is overseeing the file review. According to Tuesday's news release, Wall has designated Rev. James Walker, the vicar general of the diocese, to review the personnel files of priests who are active, retired, formerly served, or deceased. Lee Lamb, communications director for the diocese, said in a telephone interview that Walker will be soon be relieved of his parish pastoral duties so he can devote his time fully to the file review process. Diocese officials expect the review to be completed by October, he said. "The Diocese of Gallup expects this process to be fair and thorough, so that the outcome leaves no question that the diocese maintains current and accurate information on priest personnel," the news release stated. "Too, this process should reaffirm the integrity of priests in the diocese who faithfully minister every day in the name of Christ the Good Shepherd." "Upon the conclusion of this current review process of priest personnel files," the release continued, "the diocese will post on its Web site a list of priests, if any, who have been removed from ministry. Information posted and provided to the public may contain the name of the priest removed and past assignments." Regarding Boland, an outside investigator recently completed his investigation and turned over those findings to the diocese, Lamb said in a recent e-mail. "With the information now in our possession," he said, "we are in a final review process, which includes the Gallup Diocesan Review Board on Juvenile Sexual Abuse making its recommendation to Bishop Wall." Former Bishop Donald E. Pelotte and his staff had been given Boland's name — along with the names of other possible abusers — in 2005 by a representative of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Although Pelotte and his staff had promised to investigate the list then, apparently nothing was done. Pelotte's chancery also failed to make public announcements in recent years about credible abuse allegations, clergy sex abuse lawsuits, and settlements with victims. David Clohessy, national director of SNAP, issued a statement about the review of personnel files. "This is a much belated long overdue step that should have taken place years and years ago…," he said. "No institution can police itself. It's crucial that anyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes and cover ups call police, get help, protect others and start healing."
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