LOUISIANA
KATC
Father Gilbert Dutel, the St. Edmond’s Catholic Church priest who is accused of sexually abusing a child back in 1992, denied those accusations in an address to his congregation on Sunday.
According to The Daily Advertiser, the church gave him a standing ovation at the end of his address, in which he apologized for the recent controversy surrounding the case. “I maintained my innocence then, and I maintain my innocence now,” says Dutel. He went on to thank those backing him for their support and phone calls after a Minnesota Public Radio report delved into sex abuse allegations dating back to the 1970’s. He also expressed his gratitude to Bishop Michael Jarrell, whose “willingness to stand” by Dutel “hasn’t been easy.”
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