He Can No Longer Call Himself a Priest

California Catholic Daily
January 9, 2012

http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=5d62c402-65bb-463c-b744-295d7718e1ba


The former pastor of a Menlo Park parish who admitted to following a 17-year-old boy into a clothing store dressing room last year has had his priestly faculties revoked following an investigation by the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

William Myers, who served as pastor of St. Raymond Catholic Church in Menlo Park from 2007 until he was suspended last year, “can no longer call himself a priest, celebrate Mass or hear confessions,” archdiocesan spokesman George Wesolek told the Modesto Bee.

Although police later determined no crime had been committed in the April 19, 2011 incident at a Ross Dress For Less store in San Francisco, archdiocesan officials told the press last year that Myers had been suspended pending an investigation by the archdiocese's Independent Review Board -- and while Myers underwent treatment for “sexual addiction.”

At the time, Wesolek described the dressing-room incident between Myers and the teenager as “a boundary violation.”

Myers, ordained in 1988, had earlier been a priest of the Stockton diocese, but took a leave of absence from 1996 until 2000, apparently to undergo therapy for “sexual identity” issues. He transferred to the Archdiocese of San Francisco 11 years ago.

Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire told the Menlo Park Almanac that, while the diocese was aware that Myers had undergone psychological counseling, "at no time was it suggested or otherwise reported to the diocese that the therapy was in any way related to sexual conduct with minors."

Not long after the incident at the clothing store became public, about 200 parishioners, described in one press account as “angry,” gathered at St. Raymond’s seeking details from San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop William Justice, who had come to the parish to discuss the matter.

Bishop Justice told parishioners there had been no reports of any inappropriate behavior by Myers with children at the parish or its school and that, during Myers’ 11 years with the archdiocese, there had been no other complaints against him.

San Francisco police said officers were called to the Ross Dress For Less store about 1:30 p.m. on April 19, 2011. No arrests were made and no charges were ever filed in connection with the incident.

A tipster alerted the archdiocese to the incident on May 26, 2011. The next day, the archdiocese placed Myers on leave.