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	Diocese Pens Letter to St. Bernard's Parish in Eureka; Bishop Says Past Clergy Sexual Abuse Is a Shame, Something Church Must Face By Thadeus Greenson The Times-Standard August 19 2010 http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_15825779 A Catholic bishop is reaching out to parishioners of St. Bernard's Catholic Parish, urging anyone who may have suffered abuse at the hands of accused former priest Patrick Joseph McCabe to speak up. ”I am writing to ask anyone who might have been mistreated by this priest to come forward so that the church might apologize and ask forgiveness as well as offer to help to overcome any damage done,” wrote Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh in the Aug. 17 letter to parishioners, which will be distributed Sunday at St. Bernard's and St. Joseph churches. “Past clergy sexual abuse of minors is a great shame for the church that we all love. But it is something that the church must face and deal with in compassion and understanding for the innocent victims.” McCabe, now 74, served at St. Bernard's Parish from 1983 to 1985 and is currently in the process of being extradited to Ireland to face charges of molesting six boys there between 1973 and 1981. McCabe was transferred to St. Bernard's reportedly only months after he had been deemed a pedophile, enrolled in a treatment program and been placed on medications intended to tame his sexual desires. Monsignor Gerard Brady, who was in charge of St. Bernard's at the time, has insisted he didn't know of McCabe's past when he welcomed him to the local parish. But a report by Irish Circuit Court Judge Yvonne Murphy -- known simply as the “Murphy Report” -- indicates higher-ranking church officials EarthShare did know. According to the report, the transfer to the United States was arranged by Dublin Archbishop Dermot Ryan and former Santa Rosa Bishop Mark Hurley after allegations about McCabe surfaced in Dublin in 1982. According to the report, Ryan simply asked Hurley to “rid me of this troublesome priest.” Joey Piscitelli, the northwest director of Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, told the Times-Standard on Monday that two men had contacted his organization to report that McCabe had sexually abused them during his time in Eureka. Piscitelli declined to discuss details of the allegations, but said the alleged acts occurred before both men had turned 14, and that both are currently seeking legal counsel. Piscitelli said the men had not decided whether to report their allegations to authorities. Eureka Police Chief Garr Nielsen said Wednesday that his department has yet to receive any reports concerning McCabe. In his letter, Walsh states that the diocese has not “directly received any allegations against the priest” but concedes that McCabe “might have harmed some young children” during his time in Eureka. Walsh's letter urges any victim to contact Julie Sparacio at the diocese's Child Youth Protection Office, and goes on to state that the church -- through its Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People -- has “established policies and procedures to insure such crimes do not happen against the most vulnerable, our children.” Normally, Piscitelli said, he would view the letter as a step toward the diocese taking responsibility -- which he has repeatedly urged it to do -- but said Wednesday he can't put too much stock in the letter. ”Coming from Bishop Daniel Walsh, who has a track record of protecting pedophiles, I would say that it's hollow,” Piscitelli said. “I don't think he has credibility.” Piscitelli pointed to the 2006 case where the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office recommended charges be filed against Walsh for failing to report evidence of sexual abuse by a priest in a timely manner. In April 2006, the Rev. Francisco Xavier Ochoa reportedly confessed to Walsh that he'd molested three children while working in churches in Sonoma and Napa counties and in Mexico. Walsh reportedly didn't notify authorities of Ochoa's confession for three days, at which point the accused priest had already fled for Mexico. Later in the year, Walsh reportedly agreed to enroll in a diversion counseling program in lieu of facing criminal charges for his delay in reporting Ochoa's confession. ”Walsh knows damn well that their own charter that he brings up in the letter states that he should have made the report immediately,” Piscitelli said. “I would recommend that anyone who is molested in the diocese of Santa Rosa call SNAP or the police first. The last person I would call is the diocese of Santa Rosa. Their track record is clear.” In his letter, Walsh notes that audits by an outside firm have demonstrated that the Santa Rosa Diocese is in strict conformity with the church's charter. In conclusion, Walsh asks that parishioners' prayers be with those who have suffered abuse. ”I ask all to pray for all the victims of clergy sexual abuse so that healing might occur for them and their faith restored,” Walsh wrote. ____________________________ Ways to report clergy sexual abuse: Santa Rosa Diocese Child and Youth Protection Office -- 566-3308 Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests -- (925) 262-3699 The Eureka Police Department -- 441-4060 ____________________________________ Thadeus Greenson can be reached at 441-0509 or tgreenson@times-standard.com.
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