WASHINGTON
Seattle PI
[statement from the archdiocese]
By JOEL CONNELLY Seattlepi.com\ Published: May 6, 2014
SEATTLE — Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain met behind closed doors Tuesday night with parishoners at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, after the Archdiocese disclosed that its former pastor disobeyed an order not to practice his priestly ministry or appear in public as a priest.
The priest, Rev. Harry Quigg, was removed from active ministry in 2004 by Archbishop Alex Brunett, Sartain’s predecessor, after disclosure of a longstanding sexual relationship with a teen. Quigg had been determined as “not suitable for priestly ministry.”
The Archdiocese of Seattle made known facts of the case to the north end parish, which serves Laurelhurst and other well-to-do Seattle neighborhoods, last Sunday.
It told parishioners Quigg had been having sex with a 17-year-old – gender was not specified – in 1980. “Because the age of majority in 1980 under both canon law and civil law was 16, the (Archdiocese Case Review Board) concluded the conduct did not constitute sexual abuse of a minor,” the statement said.
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