Philly Archdiocese Puts a Priest Named by Grand Jury on Leave - Again

Newsworks
February 16, 2015

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/78582-philly-archdiocese-puts-a-priest-named-by-grand-jury-on-leave-again

The Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia has suspended a Bucks County priest after new information surfaced about possible misconduct.

In both 2005 and 2011, the Rev. Louis Kolenkiewicz was investigated for possible violations of the church's standards of behavior and boundaries. In 2011, he was suspended from active ministry for three years.

The priest was most recently assigned to St. Bede the Venerable Parish in Holland Township, Bucks County, but officials say the new information stems from the 2005 case.

A statement from the archdiocese said the case involves the priest's behavior around children, but insists it does not involve inappropriate or illegal physical contact.

David Clohessy, director of SNAP, the Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests, said this kind of sequence is not unusual.

"Quite frankly, we should not be surprised to see these kinds of cases where priests get suspended and put back on the job," he said, "because when no one is disciplined for putting kids in harm's way, bishops will continue to put kids in harm's way."

Contacted by WHYY/NewsWorks, the archdiocese declined to offer any comment beyond its written statement.

In 2011, a Philadelphia grand jury said it found evidence that 37 priests had committed inappropriate behavior with minors. Twenty-one, including Kolenkiewicz, were put on leave

Clohessy said keeping the details of a case vague can keeps victims from coming forward, and he urged anyone with information to speak up.