BishopAccountability.org
	Diocese Says It Wasn't Aware of Abuse By Michael Miller Peoria Journal Star February 25, 2006 http://www.pjstar.com/stories/022506/TRI_B9329BSH.040.shtml PEORIA - Catholic officials were not aware of any sexual abuse allegations against a priest when he transferred into the Diocese of Peoria in the mid-1980s, according to a diocesan statement. The Rev. William Virtue, 57, has been removed from public ministry by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria over recent allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor, the diocese announced Thursday. The alleged incidents occurred "nearly 25 years ago" when he was a priest in the Diocese of Joliet, according to a diocesan statement. The Peoria diocese did not say who made the claims or whether the allegations had been reported to police. Virtue served at Sacre Coeur Catholic Church in Creve Coeur in 1990-1991 and oversaw the Diocese of Peoria deacons program at that time. He also was assigned to St. Joseph's Home in Lacon in 1991. He has been serving as administrator of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Earlville in northern LaSalle County. The priest denied the allegations "but has agreed to cooperate" with Bishop Daniel Jenky, according to the diocese. Diocesan policy calls for a preliminary investigation into accusations by the Sexual Misconduct Review Board. If the board decides the charges are credible, the bishop can ask the clergy member to remove himself from public ministry while a more complete investigation is being conducted. The Diocese of Peoria said Thursday its officials were "not aware of any allegations at the time of his incardination in the Diocese of Peoria (on) April 18, 1988." Incardination means a priest who has previously served in another diocese is given full acceptance in another diocese. The 1988 Catholic Directory for the Diocese of Peoria listed Virtue as being an assistant at Joliet, Bolingbrook and Mokena parishes from 1975 to 1982, then as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Joliet from 1983-1986. He then served at Peoria diocese parishes in the Livingston County towns of Campus and Loretto from 1986 to 1988 before being accepted by the Peoria diocese. Sister Judith Davies, chancellor of the Diocese of Joliet, declined to comment on the accusations. The late Bishop Edward O'Rourke was head of the Peoria diocese at the time Virtue was accepted. Archbishop John Myers, now of the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., was co-adjutor bishop of Peoria. Myers was not available for comment Friday. Virtue has been asked not to function publicly as a Catholic priest, to not wear clerical garb or the Roman collar, and to refrain from using the title of reverend or father. "I continue to pray daily for all victims of sexual abuse," Jenky said in a statement. "I send my heartfelt apologies to all those affected and pray that our Lord will heal the wounds resulting from this abuse. I also ask for the prayers of the faithful, for all the individuals involved in this case and especially for the overwhelming majority of our priests and lay ministers whose zeal and holiness do so much to build up the body of Christ in central Illinois." The diocese declined to provide any more information on the case "out of respect for the privacy of the individuals involved in the cases." Virtue is the 12th priest serving in the Peoria diocese to be removed from public ministry due to sex-abuse allegations. Michael Miller can be reached at 686-3106 or mmiller@pjstar.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.