Diocese clams up as questions remain on status of Gerald Riva investigation, priest polici

WOODRIDGE (IL)
Woodbridge Reporter

By David Heitz, dheitz@mysuburbanlife.com
Woodridge Reporter

Posted Mar 28, 2012

Woodridge, IL —

In the days following the early departure of one of its pastors after a 20-year-old public indecency charge came to light, the Diocese of Joliet has refused to answer remaining questions.

Nearly two weeks ago, the Rev. Gerald Riva left St. Scholastica Roman Catholic Church in Woodridge after a 13-year tenure there as a priest and pastor. His retirement came three months earlier than scheduled and just days after his 1992 arrest and subsequent guilty plea on misdemeanor public indecency charge came to light.

The diocese initially said it had launched an investigation into the incident in 1992, in which a plain-clothed DuPage County Forest Preserve Police officer arrested Riva for masturbating and grabbing the male officer’s genitals

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.