Reported by Steve Johnson
WCPO Cincinnati
August 22, 2003

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2003/local/08/22/priests.html

A Cincinnati priest accused of molesting children is not only in good standing with the church but he's also counseling others.

Three men allege they were molested by Father David Kelley nearly 30 years ago and want him removed from the church.

These are not the first allegations to surface against Father Kelley, so this should not come as a surprise to the archdiocese and now the alleged victims are upset that Kelley is counseling others and still active in the church.

"They're not ready for that yet," said Mason Attorney Konrad Kircher.

Mason Attorney Konrad Kircher (WCPO/WCPO.com)

Kircher is representing all three alleged victims. He says they're too upset to talk about what they say happened so he's talking for them.

"I'm frequently the first one they've ever told about what happened to them 20, 15, 25 years ago...some of them haven't told their wives most haven't told their parents," Kircher said.

Kircher says all three men say they were molested by Father Kelley while attending Little Flower School in Mt. Airey in the 80s.

"It's an insult," Kircher said.

Father David Kelley (WCPO/WCPO.com)

Now the men are coming forward with lawsuits because the church has not.

"They acknowledge in 1994 they had the first allegations against Father Kelley of specific sexual conduct with a minor yet they didn't do anything in trying to identify victims," Kircher said.

Not only is Father Kelley still in good standing with the church but he's also working as a counselor at the Northland Intervention Center in Amelia.

Here he counsels drug, alcohol and sex addicts and that's not all, he's also a member of the Nations Association of Catholic Lesbian and Gay Ministers.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati admits there have been allegations of abuse against Kelley and he's been in a treatment program, but say these latest allegations and any lawsuits are news to them.

"This is the first we've heard of any lawsuit as a matter of fact I don't know who the complaintants are," said a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Kircher says the lawsuit against the archdiocese could come as early as Monday.