Abuse victim weighs in on allegations against local Catholic priest

CI news Now
August 27, 2015

http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Abuse-victim-weighs-in-on-allegations-against-local-Catholic-priest-323170411.html

PEORIA, Ill. -- A sex abuse victim says the Catholic priest accused of sexual misconduct should be subject to police investigations, even if it's beyond the statue of limitations.

That's the opinion of Jeff Jones, who says that he was also sexually molested as a child.

Peoria Catholic Diocese Bishop Daniel Jenky said Terry Cassidy can no longer serve in the ministry due to sex abuse allegations involving a minor nearly 30 years ago.

Cassidy served at St. Ann Church in Peoria and St. Edward in Chillicothe in the early nineties.

Jones says in many cases involving priests there has been a pattern of sexual abuse over time.

"He suspended a priest, Terry Cassidy for abusing children. There's a lot to this we don't know. But what he didn't do was he didn't call the police. He didn't turn the file on this case over to the police department and let them investigate it," said Jones.

Jones says he has spent several years in counseling trying to deal with the abuse he suffered from a Catholic priest.

Jones is now 61 and lives in Rockford.

The Peoria Catholic Diocese did not respond to our request for comment -- neither did Terry Cassidy.