Victims call for Bishop Matano to release sex abuse files

By Sean Lahman
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
December 11, 2018

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/2018/12/11/rochester-priest-sex-abuse-bishop-matano-release-files-diocese-robert-hoatson-carol-dupre/2275627002/

Robert Hoatson and Carol DuPré call on Bishop Salvatore Matano to take stronger action.

Carol DuPré of Spencerport alleges she was molested by Father G. Stuart Hogan in the 1960s. Hogan is now deceased. Virginia Butler, Jayla Jackson, Shawn Dowd

Days after Bishop Salvatore Matano dismissed two priests over allegations of misconduct, victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests say the actions fall short of what is needed to address a dark chapter in the history of the Diocese.  

"The removal of these two priests is just the tip of the iceberg,"  said Robert M. Hoatson, a former priest and co-founder and president of Road to Recovery Inc., a nonprofit charity based in New Jersey that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families.

On Sunday, the Diocese of Rochester announced that Matano had removed two priests after an investigation into allegations of misconduct.

Fathers Thomas J. Valenti and Erick Viloria are both restricted from engaging in public ministry or presenting themselves publicly as clerics, according to a statement from the Diocese of Rochester.

Valenti, who was serving as parochial administrator of Blessed Trinity/St. Patrick’s in Tioga County, was at Rochester's Blessed Sacrament from 1977-1979 and at St. Louis in Pittsford from 1984-1989. Viloria was parochial vicar at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Geneva.

"It's clear that the information we have now is incomplete," Hoatson said. "Why was Father Valenti transferred from place to place to place?  What's the story Bishop Matano? We need to know that."

He called on Matano and the diocese to reveal the contents of its files about the two removed priests, and all other deacons and priests accused of sexual abuse or misconduct.  

"It's now time to be completely transparent, open and honest," Hoatson said  "Release all the files and be as transparent as you can be."

Hoatson spoke outside of Sacred Heart Cathedral in the city Tuesday morning. He was joined by Carol DuPré , who says she is victim/survivor of a Rochester diocesan priest, who is now deceased.

"I know that what happened to me was reported to the diocese, and yet they claim to have no record of it," she said.  "I would really like to have those files opened up."

DuPré is one of a group of accusers who say they were sexually abused by Rochester area priests when they were children.

She has alleged that she was molested by Father G. Stuart Hogan when she was 15 and 16 years old in 1962 and 1963. She says she's heard from at least one other woman who says she was molested by Hogan during the same time period.

In June, DuPré came forward with the help of Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston attorney who has spent decades representing such victims. He named eight priests from the Rochester diocese who 15 men and two women say abused them between 1950 and 1978.

Garabedian now says he represents more than forty-five clergy sexual abuse victims of priests who were assigned to the Diocese of Rochester at some point in time.

On Monday, he called the removal of two Rochester-area priests "a red flag."

"History has taught us that releasing the names of only two predator priests is an attempt by the Catholic Church to hide most of the truth, continue the cover-up and ignore reality," Garabedian said. "The Diocese of Rochester must practice complete transparency and release all files, names of predator priests and their complicit supervisors so that victims can try to heal and children are safe."

In September, New York's Attorney General's Office issued subpoenas to all the Catholic dioceses in the state over how they have handled sexual abuse cases, and the office started a hotline to get tips from the public.

The subpoenas went to the seven dioceses and one archdiocese in New York as Attorney General Barbara Underwood has ordered a civil investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The subpoenas are sweeping in their request, seeking information about how any and all allegations of sexual abuse within the church were handled.

The Attorney General's Office is also working with district attorneys throughout the state to investigate any potential criminal wrongdoing.

Hoatson said he was not optimistic that Matano would release the priest abuse files voluntarily, and that the information would only be made public through the issuance of subpoenas.

"We usually never get those records unless raids take place," Hoatson said. "That's what we're encouraging the attorney general to do. Otherwise, we believe we will never get the full story."

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the diocese said that it had reported the findings of the independent investigation of Father Valenti and Father Viloria to civil authorities, but they did not plan to release their files.

"As with any organization, we do not release personnel records publicly," the statement said. "In the case of personnel accused of sexual abuse of a minor, such release publicly would compromise the privacy and confidentiality of victims and others interviewed as part of the investigation."

But the diocese did state that no other allegations had been made against Father Viloria prior to August of this year.

And they also offered some clarification about the history of allegations made against Father Valenti.

"Other than the allegation of sexual abuse of a minor dating back to the 1970s, no other complaint against Father Thomas J. Valenti has ever been received," the diocese said. "This claim from the 1970s was previously investigated and found to be unsubstantiated. After the allegation was renewed this June, a new investigation was initiated by Bishop Matano; new information was received, leading to Father Valenti’s removal from public ministry."

The diocese also said that it is complying with the New York state Attorney General’s office in its subpoena of records.