Letter Says Bangor Priest Abused Boys in 1950s, Church Cover-up

WGME
April 7, 2015

http://www.wgme.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/letter-says-bangor-priest-abused-boys-1950s-church-coverup-26718.shtml#.VSTNHPl_uSp

There are new allegations of a cover-up by the Diocese of Portland but the bishop says the church is protecting the privacy of the sexual abuse victims.

Former Priest Robert Hoatson has been an outspoken critic of the Catholic Church’s documented history of covering up sexual abuse by members of the clergy. He co-founded Road to Recovery to help those victims.

Hoatson claims a 2005 letter from a retired priest shows that past bishops at the Diocese of Portland knew Father James Vallely had sexually abused at least five boys at a Bangor church in 1956 but did nothing to stop him.

"We have documents now that prove that the church covered up, and continues to cover up, child sex abuse. Since 1956 at least, the Diocese of Portland has had information about Father Vallely's sexual abuse of children. This is another example of the Catholic Church's efforts to keep things secret," Hoatson said.

Father Vallely died in 1997. The Diocese of Portland released a statement Tuesday saying they maintain privacy and confidentiality out of respect for the victims and survivors. Bishop Robert Deeley says, "Mistakes were made in the past. And the failure to deal with this problem in a more forthright manner gravely harmed those who were abused."