VICTIMS Support Group Criticizes Omaha Archdiocese for Delay in Disclosing Alleged Abuse

By Michael O'Connor
The World-Herald
November 3, 2014

http://www.omaha.com/living/victims-support-group-criticizes-omaha-archdiocese-for-delay-in-disclosing/article_36667b6c-6391-11e4-8d4f-001a4bcf6878.html

A support group for clergy abuse victims is criticizing the Omaha Archdiocese for not making a quicker public disclosure of a local man's allegation of sexual abuse by a priest.

Chicago-based SNAP called the delay "reckless and callous, and said Archbishop George Lucas should explain why it occurred and apologize.

The archdiocese announced Friday that an Omaha man alleges that a priest sexually abused him 30 years ago, when he was in his early teens.

The archdiocese identified the priest as the Rev. Anthony Palmese, who was associate pastor of Omaha’s Holy Ghost Parish in 1984-1985 when the alleged abuse occurred.

Palmese, who died in 2012, belonged to the New Jersey-based Order of Augustinian Recollects, according to the archdiocese.

Deacon Tim McNeil, spokesman for the archdiocese, said Monday that the archdiocese handled the case properly.

He has said the archdiocese learned of the allegation on Dec. 30 and reported it to local law enforcement and to the order’s headquarters.

McNeil said the archdiocese tries to notify a parish within weeks of receiving an allegation or following the completion of a preliminary investigation.

He said the archdiocese was not able to do that in this case because it only recently learned the specifics of the man’s allegations.

McNeil also said the alleged victim was reluctant to cooperate with the order's investigation.

The Augustinian Recollects order is carrying out the investigation because Palmese was a member of the order when the alleged abuse occurred, McNeil said.