Abuse Charges Snag 17 Priests

By Brian Harmon
NY Daily News
January 26, 2005

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/v-pfriendly/story/274689p-235219c.html

Eight priests on Long Island were defrocked and nine others were suspended this year because of sexual abuse allegations, Bishop William Murphy said in a letter.

But the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre stood by its policy of not naming the accused clergymen - a decision that angered victim survivor groups.

"Bishop Murphy must release the names of all the priests accused of sexual abuse," said Tim Echausse, 37, Long Island director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

"It's common sense. These are men who are going back into society looking for jobs," added Echausse of Mineola. "Will they be working with children? Society has a right to know who these people are."

Diocesan spokesman Sean Dolan said the discipline of the accused priests is part of the church's effort "to ensure the horrible tragedy of sexual abuse never occurs again" in the diocese.

But the diocese believes that naming the accused priests before they are convicted of a crime would open the door to civil litigation, Dolan said.

"These are priests who have been accused. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're guilty," he said. "There's a rights issue there."

In his three-page letter to Long Island Catholics, Murphy, their spiritual leader, mentioned the status of sex abuse cases against 23 priests. In addition to the 17 who have been removed from the priesthood, three others face canonical trials.

Two priests were cleared of any wrongdoing and proceedings against an ill cleric have been deferred. The nine suspended priests will maintain their pensions and health care benefits, according to the diocese.

Murphy's letter states that no priest who is facing charges is working in the diocese.