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  Head of Bishops Conference Says Accused Priest Should Keep His Collar off in Court

KMOX
Downloaded May 29, 2003

IS IT PERMISSABLE FOR A PRIEST ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT TO WEAR HIS COLLAR IN THE COURTROOM? THAT WAS THE QUESTION KMOX PUT TO THE HEAD OF THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS. BELLEVILLE BISHOP WILTON GREGORY WAS ASKED TO COMMENT FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S HUNG JURY IN THE TRIAL OF A ST. LOUIS COUNTY PRIEST ACCUSED OF SEX WITH A 14-YEAR OLD BOY. A DATE FOR THE SECOND TRIAL COULD BE SET LATER THIS WEEK. FATHER BRIAN KUCHAR WORE HIS PRIESTLY ATTIRE HIS FIRST TRIAL AND GREGORY WAS ASKED IF THAT VIOLATES THE CHARTER ON PRIESTS ACCUSED OF SEX CRIMES, AGREED ON LAST SUMMER BY THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS: "THE PROTOCAL PRESENT IN THE CHARTER DETAILS EVERYTHING THAT THE BISHOPS AGREED TO," SAYS GREGORY. "I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE CHARTER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CHARTER SAYS THEY ARE NOT TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AS PRIESTS." GREGROY WENT ON TO SAY THE QUESTION OF WHAT KUCHAR WEARS SHOULD BE PUT TO KUCHAR'S BISHOP. KMOX ASKED ARCHBISHOP JUSTIN RIGALI'S SPOKESMAN -- JIM ORSO -- WHY KUCHAR WAS ALLOWED TO WEAR HIS COLLAR IN COURT. ORSO SAYS IT'S ALLOWED BECAUSE KUCHAR HAS ONLY BEEN ACCUSED, AND NOT CONVICTED. ACCORDING TO ORSO, THE ARCHDIOCESE READS THE CHARTER TO SAY ONLY THOSE PRIESTS CONVICTED OF ABUSE OR THOSE WHO HAD ADMITTED TO THE CRIME SHOULD BE BARRED FROM WEARING CLERICAL GARB. ORSO SAYS EVEN THO KUCHAR CONFESSED TO THE CRIME EARLIER, HE HAS SINCE RECANTED THAT CONFESSION, SAYING IT WAS COERCED. BUT IN TWO OTHER PRIEST TRIALS, ONE IN DETROIT AND A CASE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, ACCUSATIONS WERE ENOUGH TO STOP THE ACCUSED FROM WEARING THEIR COLLARS TO COURT.

 
 

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