Advocacy Group Wants Columbus Bishop to Publicize Recent Seminarian Arrest

By JoAnne Viviano
Columbus Dispatch
February 9, 2016

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/02/09/advocacy-group-wants-columbus-bishop-to-publicize-recent-seminarian-arrest.html

Bishop Frederick F. Campbell

An advocate for victims of sexual assault criticized the leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus on Tuesday for being "quiet and passive" about the recent arrest of a former seminarian on charges that he planned to travel to Mexico to rape infant and toddler girls.

Bishop Frederick Campbell should instead hold a public meeting to alert the community about the charges leveled against Joel A. Wright, who until late last month, was studying to be a priest at Pontifical College Josephinum on the Far North Side, said Judy Jones, Midwest associate director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The network also wants Campbell to use the pulpit, church bulletins and church websites to encourage anyone who suspects Wright of crimes to contact police.

"This is too serious for Bishop Campbell to just sit back and do nothing," Jones said at a Downtown news conference outside the diocese's St. Joseph Cathedral. "He needs to aggressively reach out to anybody who had contact with Joel Wright, anyone who may have any information, any kind of knowledge, or anyone who has been harmed by him."

Wright was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Homeland Security investigators in San Diego on Jan. 29 on charges of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and to engage in sex with a child younger than 12. A Josephinum spokesman has said that Wright, 23, of Vermont, was expelled that day even before his arrest because he had left school without permission.

George Jones, spokesman for the Columbus diocese, declined an interview request on Tuesday, saying that Wright was a seminarian from a different diocese and that diocesan officials have not been given details regarding his arrest. He said anyone who might have experienced sexual abuse by someone associated with the Catholic Church should notify civil authorities and contact the diocesan Victims' Assistance Coordinator at 614-224-2251, 866-448-0217 or helpisavailable@colsdioc.org.

Wright had been exchanging graphic emails with a federal agent whom he thought was a tour guide. He stated that he wanted have sex with "babies" ages 1, 2 and 3, and expressed a willingness to be videotaped, court records say.

Judy Jones also called upon the Columbus diocese to publicize on its website all accusations it has received against clergy. Thirty dioceses around the United States are providing listings, she said.

Contact: jviviano@dispatch.com