PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Malvern Retreat House
January 14, 2019
Dear Friends in Christ,
I write to share troubling news regarding our former Rector, Father John F. Meyers, who served at Malvern Retreat House/St. Joseph in the Hills (MRH) from June 2017 until October 2018, when he resigned his position. The information below and news release was provided to us by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
In late 2018, the Archdiocese placed Father Meyers on administrative leave and restricted his priestly faculties following receipt of an allegation that he had sexually abused a minor in the early 1980s. It was the first allegation of this kind lodged against Father Meyers. The allegation was referred to law enforcement and the Archdiocese cooperated with authorities in the course of their work. No criminal charges were filed.
The required canonical investigation of Father Meyers was launched after law enforcement declined to press charges. The Archdiocesan Office of Investigations undertook that canonical process. The results of the canonical investigation were provided to the Archdiocesan Professional Responsibilities Review Board. This board recently recommended to the Archbishop that Father Meyers was unsuitable for ministry based on a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.
Archbishop Chaput accepted that recommendation and determined that Father Meyers is unsuitable for ministry. His case will now be forwarded to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican in keeping with procedure for the formal canonical process.
We felt it was important that we inform our Board, staff, and retreatants of this matter and the determination made by the Archbishop regarding Father Meyers’ suitability for ministry.
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