Concerns raised over former Back of the Yards priest

By Julian Crews
WGN
September 10, 2014

http://wgntv.com/2014/09/10/concerns-raised-over-former-back-of-the-yards-priest/

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is calling Francis Cardinal George to address concerns about a priest who used to serve in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Father Bruce Wellems is a widely admired Claretian missionary priest.

SNAP obtained documents detailing his abrupt resignation from a California mission.

In a written press release, Claretian spokespeople acknowledge the decision pointing to inappropriate conduct with a fellow minor when Bellems himself was a youth.

The Chicago Archdiocese says Cardinal George will not be commenting on the case because Wellems has no faculties as a priest within the Chicago Archdiocese.

Bellems issued a statement to WGN saying, in part, “I have never, ever touched a child of any age in an inappropriate or sexual manner. … I believe now as I have believed always as an adult, that child abuse is an evil that must be eradicated. … the accusations or inferences made by SNAP today have no factual basis. There is no cover-up of pedophilia, or any type of child abuse that involves me in my years as a priest.”