PHOENIX (AZ)
Fox 11
10:05 PM MST on Saturday, January 1, 2005
By CLAUDIA RIVERO / Newchannel 3
PHOENIX — Bishop Thomas Olmstead addressed parishioner's concerns at a Saturday mass in the wake of allegations that a St. Timothy's priest molested a 14-year-old 20 years ago.
The alleged victim said that he recovered a repressed memory of sexual molestation by former priest John Layman. The accuser, who was 14 at the time, claims Monsignor Dale Fuschek knew about the abuse, but did nothing to stop it.
"This was very unexpected. I can't imagine that it's true, but at the same time I don't want to prejudice the investigation moving forward," Olmstead said.
Fuschek has been placed on administrative leave as church officials investigate the allegations.
Parishioners were surprised by the allegations against Fuschek.
"I was rather surprised," said parishioner Louis Besser. "[But] we can't make judgment yet."
Posted by kshaw at January 2, 2005 08:40 AM