Dallas Priest Accused of Abuse, Removed from the Ministry

Associated Press
April 27, 2020

https://apnews.com/126138d66b699541a3710cd893fcfa2f

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Roman Catholic diocese has removed a priest from the ministry after sexual abuse allegations arose in the Colombian archdiocese where he formerly served.

Oscar Mora was among 19 priests suspended last month by the Catholic Archdiocese of Villavicencio after the allegation arose earlier this year, The Dallas Morning News reported Monday.

The archdiocese alerted Bishop Edward Burns in Dallas that one of the priests in the Dallas diocese was among the 19 suspended.

“Upon receiving word of the allegation from the Archbishop of Villavicencio in mid-March, the Diocese of Dallas, out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with its Safe Environment policy, immediately removed Father Oscar Mora from active ministry,” according to a statement issued by the diocese. “There have been no allegations of wrongdoing against Father Mora in his four years of service in Dallas and the Diocese has not been informed of any civil or criminal charges filed against Father Mora.”

Jaime Garcia, Mora’s Colombian attorney, told the newspaper that the priest denies the allegation.

Mora was assigned to the Divine Mercy of Our Lord Catholic Church in Mesquite and the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe in downtown Dallas, Dallas diocese spokeswoman Annette Taylor told the newspaper.