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	Priest at St. John Fisher on Sabbatical Sent Back to India to Face Sexual Harassment Charges By Melissa Evans Daily Breeze May 25, 2010 http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_15153960 A priest from India on temporary sabbatical at a Catholic parish in Rancho Palos Verdes was sent back to his native country after allegations surfaced that he had sexually harassed a nun. The harassment allegedly occurred from October through December of 2009, when the Rev. John Peter was staying in England while awaiting approval of his visa to travel to the United States. He has worked at St. John Fisher Catholic Church since January. "Whether it is true or not, we don't know," said the Rev. Msgr. David Sork, pastor at the church. "His own bishop in India will investigate, along with the Diocese of England." In the midst of heightened concern over sexual misconduct by priests, church leaders at the local parish sent a letter to all 3,000 members of the parish this month detailing the allegations and how the church responded. The church first became aware of the allegations on March 22. The accuser, a member of a women's religious order, said she had received inappropriate e-mails from the priest during his brief stay in the United Kingdom last fall, Sork said. At that time, the vicar for clergy at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles told local church officials that Peter may have to go back to India for an investigation. A spokesman for the archdiocese, Tod Tamberg, did not return phone calls Monday for comment. The situation became more urgent on April 14, when Sork received a call from the accuser herself, he said. The woman called the church and wanted to know if the priest was there. "I told her he was," Sork said. "I wasn't trying to hide anything." A few weeks later, the nun sent an e-mail to church leaders providing details about what allegedly happened. In addition to inappropriate e-mails, she said physical contact had also occurred. "She said that some unwanted affection took place," Sork said. Church leaders forwarded the message to the archdiocese, and officials decided Peter should immediately leave the country and return to India. He left on May 5. Clergy at St. John Fisher announced at a May 9 Mass that Peter was no longer at the parish, and they mailed a detailed letter to church members the following day. "The purpose of the letter was to quiet rumors," Sork said. "Rumors can be devastating. People can jump to conclusions quickly one way or another." The pastor said Peter was well-liked at the church, and that he had denied the allegations. The visiting priest, who is in his early 50s, helped with general pastoral work, including leading Mass and teaching an adult education class. He had been at the parish once before, seven years ago, and recently asked church leaders if he could return for a yearlong sabbatical from October 2009 to October 2010. His travel visa to America, however, was delayed three months, during which time he stayed in England. In the letter to church members, Sork wrote, "All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, so we must not prejudge him. ... Let us keep this Sister, Father John, and our parish in our prayers during this challenging time." In 2007, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid out a record $660 million to victims of child sexual abuse by priests, most of which occurred decades ago. The Catholic church nationwide has adopted strict requirements for investigating abuse claims and screening those who work in Catholic schools and parishes. Visiting priests, including those from dioceses inside and outside the country, must also present a letter from their presiding bishop attesting to their moral conduct. Peter had such a letter, which Sork said is on file at the church. Asked if the child abuse scandal played a role in the church's prompt response, Sork said, "That's an understatement. We have to be very careful about these things." Contact: melissa.evans@dailybreeze.com
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