By Frank Eltman
Associated Press
April 24, 2002

Uniondale, NY - The head of the Roman Catholic diocese on Long Island appointed a former police commissioner Wednesday to handle sex abuse allegations against priests.

Bishop William Murphy of the Rockville Centre Diocese, which has 1.5 million Catholics, also announced the restructuring of two investigative panels, adding non-Catholic members for the first time.

And Murphy said he would ban troubled priests who had been placed in restricted roles from serving in any pastoral capacity.

"The church must be a beacon of hope and trust," Murphy said. "That beacon has been dimmed. I will do all in my power to bring back the light of Christ."

Elsewhere in the child-molestation scandal that has rocked the nation's Catholic church:

- The Archdiocese of New York said it is releasing sex abuse victims from any promises of confidentiality they made as part of civil settlements. In the past, the church has settled some sex abuse lawsuits with payments on the condition that victims not talk about the case.

- Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham said she will convene a grand jury to investigate allegations of priest sex abuse and the response of church officials. She said church officials have agreed to turn over records on priests accused of abuse, whether they are "dead, dismissed or retired."

- In Providence, R.I., attorneys for victims of alleged sexual abuse said they have asked a judge to schedule some of their cases for trial this fall after failing to settle with the Diocese of Providence. Thirty-eight lawsuits have been filed against the diocese, alleging abuse by 11 priests and one nun.

On Long Island, Murphy said an intervention team to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by priests would include former Nassau County Police Commissioner Donald Kane, as well as a priest and a nun.

Murphy said allegations would be forwarded to any of the panel members. But it will be Kane who "will take the information directly to the district attorneys or any other appropriate legal authority, independently of me and my office," the bishop said.

Sex abuse cases would then be examined by a restructured review board, Murphy said.

Previously, the panel had only a psychiatrist and a social worker. The new board will have an additional psychiatrist and another social worker, both of whom will be non-Catholics, an undetermined number of parents, a priest and two law enforcement experts.

"I pledge that I will never be more lenient than the review board, though I may be more stringent," Murphy said.

Murphy noted that previously, priests who underwent psychiatric counseling and responded well could be returned to restricted pastoral duties.

"As a bishop, I will not do this. If a priest is not able to care pastorally for children and minors without placing them at risk, then that priest cannot do any kind of pastoral ministry whatsoever," he said.