BishopAccountability.org

Brennan outlines plans of amends required for Bransfield

WTOV Channel 9
November 26, 2019

https://bit.ly/35CTXYp

[with video]

It has been more than 14 months since former Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Bishop Michael Bransfield stepped down amid allegations of sexual harassment and financial improprieties.

On Tuesday, Bishop Mark Brennan outlined the amends Bransfield must make to the diocese.

In October, Brennan reached out to Bransfield in a letter, giving him a chance to make up a plan for some of these amends. That letter went unanswered.

So, Brennan went about creating his own plan for amends. First, Bransfield will have to apologize to the people he sexually harassed, to the people of the diocese, and to diocesan employees.

“Those are, I believe, important steps in his part as a Christian man to accept responsibility for some of his actions,” Brennan said.

Bransfield will have his monthly stipend that he receives reduced from about $6,200 to $736 per month and will now have to pay his own long-term health care, disability, and pharmacy benefit plans.

He will have to return, or purchase, the car he was provided at his retirement at Blue Book price, he also cannot be buried within the diocese, as is custom for former bishops.

The final amends deal with financial accounts and records. A new financial review was done over the last few months. It was determined that $792,638 were spent solely on personal expenses.

Bransfield will be required to repay the diocese that amount -- along with paying an excise tax in the amount of $110,000 to the IRS.

“The money received will fund assistance to victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy and lay employees serving in the diocese. I pray and hope Bishop Bransfield will see these amends not as punishment, but will undertake them as acts of restorative justice,” Brennan said.

For a full look at a letter to the Faithful by Bishop Brennan, click here.

Meanwhile, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the announcement is a step in the right direction but not enough.

He had this to say:

“While today’s announcement by Bishop Brennan represents a step forward, justice will not be served until the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese releases all of its investigative reports on Bishop Bransfield, tightens its internal controls to protect children, and implements concrete measures to provide assistance to the many victims of sexual abuse and pedophilia needing medical, social, or mental health services. It is time for the diocese to truly come clean and begin to put this horrific scandal behind it.

“The subpoena from our office is likely the only reason we have a list of diocese priests who are credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. The diocese shouldn’t need more prodding from our office to do the right thing.”




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