PA- Chaput kept child sex allegations secret for months

By Barbara Dorris
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
February 24, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_chaput_kept_child_sex_allegations_secret_for_months

Pay close attention to the chronology of Fr. John P. Paul, whose status as a credibly accused child molester was finally disclosed last weekend.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140224_Two_more_Phila__Archdiocese_priests_deemed__quot_unsuitable_quot_.html

In October or November of last year (perhaps even earlier), Philly Catholic officials received reports of alleged child sex crimes against Fr. Paul.

They kept quiet. And on November 6, Fr. Paul resigned (“He came to that decision of his own accord during the course of the Archdiocesan investigation regarding this alleged abuse,” Chaput claims.)

Fr. Paul claimed “considering a serious road trip for 'renewal' purposes.”

Again, Philly church officials kept silent. They let this lie stand.

Finally, earlier this month, Philly church officials admitted, to one parish, that Fr. Paul was suspended for credible allegations of child sex abuse crimes.

And finally, last weekend, Philly church officials told the public and the rest of their flock, that Fr. Paul was suspended for credible allegations of child sex abuse crimes.

Chaput doesn't explain why

1) He kept child sex abuse allegations secret for months.

2) He let one of his priests lie to his flock.

3) He told only one parish about Fr. Paul at first.

4) He waited until last weekend to tell the public about Fr. Paul.

Archbishop Charles Chaput is moving backwards, not forward, on children's safety.

Chaput claims that he “decided to restrict Father Paul's ministry so that he would have no unsupervised contact with minors pending the outcome of the internal Archdiocesan investigation that was in progress.”

Sound familiar? It should. That's what Catholic officials have said, for decades, to justify their irresponsible secrecy in clergy sex cases. On its face, that's a reckless move: asking one or two or three Catholic employees to try to keep an accused child molester away from kids.

And nowhere in the church's national abuse policy does it call for Catholic employees to keep accused predators away from children.

So we challenge Chaput to tell us which church employees, if anyone, he assigned to “watch” Fr. Paul and tell us exactly how they performed this impossible task. 

And we challenge him to disclose how many other church employees are currently watching other suspected child molesters while secrecy is being maintained and alleged criminals are still on the job while so-called church “investigators” creep along at a glacial pace.