OREGON
Catholic Sentinel
Ed Langlois
Of the Catholic Sentinel
The pastor of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Scappoose was detained April 8 in Los Angeles when he stepped off a plane from Australia. Authorites made the arrest based on a warrant issued in Vancouver, Wash.
Father Michael Patrick, who has served in the Archdiocese of Portland since 1998, is now in jail in Los Angeles.
Father Patrick has been charged with luring. Vancouver Police say the priest is suspected of driving his vehicle beside a teenage girl and persistently asking to give her a ride despite her refusals. The girl became frightened and ran to phone for help. Authorities identified Father Patrick as the suspect then searched a residence the priest keeps in Vancouver. Police will not yet discuss what they have found.
In a statement, the archdiocese says it had no prior knowledge of the pending charge, and is trying to get in contact with Father Patrick but so far have been unsuccessful.
“The Archdiocese will cooperate with law enforcement,” the archdiocese says. “Father Patrick will be suspended from his ministry functions until the matter is concluded, even though the criminal charge had nothing to do with his parish assignment in Scappoose.”
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