NEW YORK
Times Herald-Record
Editorial
Posted May. 9, 2015
Perhaps the most positive thing that can be said at this time about the removal of a priest in Pine Bush because of sex abuse allegations involving a 19-year-old male parishioner is that the Catholic Church appears to be dealing with it as a matter of serious public concern rather than an internal matter to be concealed, covered-up or denied.
Decades of secrecy by the Church regarding sex abuse of young males by priests have been exposed through thousands of allegations worldwide. A new pope has made it clear that, not only priests who are guilty of abuse, but also bishops who cover up for them will be held accountable, removed from their positions of trust. The message of Pope Francis is that there is no longer any room for prideful embarrassment, only definitive action to deal with the allegations openly and as swiftly as possible.
Did this happen in Pine Bush?
Certainly, the Archdiocese of New York has been more open and forthcoming with information on the allegations than in the past. Having removed Kevin Gallagher last summer from the Infant Saviour Parish in Pine Bush, following reports from friends of the young man, the archdiocese in February sent a letter to parishioners advising them that Gallagher – despite the strong recommendation from the archdiocese that he not do so – had returned to Pine Bush.
The letter said that Gallagher “does not currently have ‘faculties’ to serve as a priest – that is, he does not have an assignment, he is not permitted to publicly to function as a priest, and he should not present himself as a priest.”
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