FLORIDA
Christian Today
Ruth Gledhill CHRISTIAN TODAY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 26 January
A US Catholic diocese has countered claims that an Irish priest who called police after a colleague showed child pornogaphy to a 14-year-old boy has since been “frozen out” by the Church.
The Diocese of Palm Beach said an article published in Ireland was “completely inaccurate”.
The diocese also said that the “reassignment” of Father John Gallagher was “not related” to the incident with the visiting priest.
Father Gallagher said he is living in a friend’s home after locks at his parochial house were changed and he was placed on medical leave by his bishop. He claimed he was told by a church official to put a priest accused of paedophilia on a plane rather than cooperate with police. He said he has written to bishops and failed to get a satisfactory response.
He reported Father Jose Palimattom, who in December 2014 was visiting the Holy Name of Jesus Christ Catholic Church in West Palm Beach from the Franciscan Province of St Thomas the Apostle in India. According to an arrest report, four weeks after Palimattom arrived at the church, he approached a 14-year-old boy after Mass and showed him images of naked boys.
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