Bishop William Murphy said yesterday that no priest now serving in a pastoral role in the diocese of Rockville Centre has ever faced a "substantial and credible allegation" of sexual misconduct involving a child.

But in his first public comments on clergy sex abuse, Murphy refused to name those who had faced complaints while serving the diocese in the past, or to say how many there were. Unlike bishops in Philadelphia and Manchester, N.H., Murphy said he is "not convinced that doing that would serve in any way to protect children further."

[Photo captions: Bishop William Murphy's decision was assailed by victims families and victim advocates; photo by Jim Peppler. Nassau DA Denis Dillon; photo by Robert Mecea.]

Additionally, he said, "I do not wish to allow the media to turn the tragedy of sexual abuse of minors into a forum to call the life of the Church and the Church's teachings into question as they have done in other places."

In a wide-ranging interview, the bishop defended how the diocese has handled cases of sex abuse in the past 10 years, saying procedures had been applied "rigorously and prudently."

In that period, he said, the diocese has urged anyone with a complaint to talk to civil authorities and would continue to do so. But Murphy stopped short of saying the diocese would turn over all new complaints to law enforcement and, if not, on what basis it would withhold them.

Murphy's decision not to impose mandatory reporting provoked strong criticism from family members of some victims, and victim advocates.

"This policy keeps clergy outside of the law and continues to perpetuate what the church has been able to do for centuries," said a relative of the teenage boy molested by former priest Michael Hands, who pleaded guilty to sodomy charges last week.

And Laura Ahearn, a child welfare advocate and executive director of Parents for Megan's Law, said it is not enough to "simply encourage those with knowledge of a sex crime against a child to report it. There must be a stringent requirement to mandate them to contact authorities ... and bring the priest to justice and further ensure that the offender becomes registered [under Megan's law] and can't go unnoticed in a community."

Murphy said he had reviewed the files of every living priest on Long Island going back to the diocese's inception in 1957. He said he found no case that could be prosecuted because of New York's five- year statute of limitations, and therefore would refer none to local prosecutors.

Last week, Nassau District Attorney Denis Dillon had said that Murphy had agreed to share information on all child sex abuse complaints that he found in his review - regardless of whether they fell within the statute of limitations.

But Murphy, who declined to comment last week, insisted he hadn't agreed to that. "I called the district attorney to say, 'Of course, we're going to cooperate with you,'" he said. "I committed to bringing to him anything which in my judgment would be a possible pending criminal allegation. And I can tell you, I have none."

Murphy said he was willing to reconsider his position, if he could be shown how sharing old information would protect children. "I will cooperate with every law enforcement officer as I always have," he said. "I pledge that today, and I mean that."

Dillon spokesman Rick Hinshaw said yesterday that Dillon continues to insist that he get all complaints going back to 1975. "What the district attorney said last week stands," Hinshaw said.

Dillon said last week that he wanted his attorneys, rather than the diocese's, to make judgments about whether cases could be prosecuted because in some instances, the statute of limitations can be extended.

Hinshaw said that attorneys representing Dillon, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and the diocese were trying to reach an agreement "so that we get what we're entitled to, at the same time that the diocese is assured that its rights are protected and respected."

Spota said that based on conversations he had with a diocesan attorney yesterday, "I feel confident that whatever information I request I will be able to review."

Murphy also indicated yesterday that he was receptive to arguments about changing New York State law to require clergy, like other professionals who work with children, to report suspected abuse, as long as such legislation does not violate "essential aspects of priestly ministry," such as the sacrament of confession.

Staff writer Steve Wick contributed to this story.

Sub Title: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Edition: Combined editions
Start Page: A07
Personal Names: Murphy, Bishop William
Dillon, Denis E
Hinshaw, Rick