BishopAccountability.org
	Church Leaders Act against Retired Priests WRGB March 19, 2011 http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/albany-1283757-priests-catholic.html The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany tells us Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has taken action against four retired priests who are accused of sexually abusing minors. The Rev. Robert Purcell, 76, the retired pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Margaretville was removed from ministry. The allegation against Purcell involved the claim of an incident in 1957. The diocese says that was seventeen years prior to his ordination to the priesthood. The diocese says it forwarded the allegation to the Albany County District Attorney’s office where, according to the church, prosecutors will not pursue any criminal proceeding. Father Alan Jupin, 73, is the retired pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Schenectady and Father Donald Ophals, 77, was once pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Troy. Each has remained active in ministry. While on administrative leave, neither will be permitted to act as a priest, celebrate the Mass or other sacraments publicly nor wear the clerical garb. Father Louis Douglas, 82, retired from St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Albany in 1992 and is no longer active in ministry. The diocese says he is "under medical care" in a nursing facility. Goldfarb said, "Jupin, Ophals, and Douglas are on administrative leave from ministry pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation initiated this month by the Diocesan Review Board. They, along with a fourth priest, John Bertolucci, are accused of sexually abusing a minor in Albany between 1986 and 1991. Bishop Hubbard had already removed Bertolucci from ministry in 2002 based on unrelated sexual abuse allegations." Goldfarb says the diocese referred the new allegation to the Albany County District Attorney’s office and was told criminal proceedings will not be pursued. In a new release, diocese spokesman Kenneth Goldfarb said, "Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Douglas also went on administrative leave in 2003 when the Diocese received a sexual abuse allegation from another individual. The Diocesan Review Board investigated, but the allegation could not be substantiated. Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Douglas were restored to ministry in 2004."
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