Bishop's Name, Allegations Surface in Philly Trial

WTOV
April 19, 2012

http://www.wtov9.com/news/news/bishops-name-allegations-surface-philly-trial/nMcjK/

A man has testified during a clergy sex-abuse trial that he was raped at a home owned by the current West Virginia bishop and that he was told the bishop also sexually abused a boy. The testimony came at the trial of the Rev. James Brennan.

The 48-year-old witness made the statements Wednesday in Philadelphia about Michael Bransfield, bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston diocese.

He said he saw Bransfield bring several boys to a farm owned by now-defrocked priest Stanley Gana.

The witness said Gana told him Bransfield was having sex with one of them.

The man said Gana raped him for years, including at Bransfield's beach house.

Another witness has testified that Bransfield had a lewd conversation with him.

Bransfield's diocese called the trial "a circus" and said prosecutors are trying "to smear individuals not on trial."

Roman Catholics in West Virginia reacted with disbelief and shock.

Monsignor Edward Sadie, rector of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Charleston, says he finds the allegations against Bransfield "impossible to believe."

"The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is learning of media reports originating from legal proceedings under way in Philadelphia, and Bishop Michael Bransfield's name was brought up in court today," read a statement issued by the Diocese to NEWS9. "Until such time that the facts and issues surrounding this testimony are made fully known to the diocese, we cannot comment at this time."

The diocese is expected to issue an additional statement on Thursday.

NEWS9 spoke with David Clohessy, Executive Director of The Survivor's Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) via Skype on Thursday.

"(It's) encouraging every single time a victim finds the courage to talk about this horrific suffering that he or she has experienced," said Clohessy of the testimony. "But, let's be fair here. Just because the bishop may be buddies with a child predator doesn't make him a child predator."