OREGON
The Oregonian
By Emily E. Smith | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on August 23, 2015
The Rev. Alexander Sample, the archbishop of Portland, said Sunday he feels betrayed by a priest suspected of hiding a spy camera in a church bathroom and was too trusting in letting him live with a friend.
The priest left the country and returned to his home in the Philippines, avoiding arrest last week on charges of invasion of privacy, tampering with evidence and initiating a false report.
Apologizing to parishioners, Sample said he never anticipated 34-year-old Father Ysrael Bien’s deception and understands how they could feel deep hurt and confusion of their own.
“People should expect more from us,” he said.
The case began April 26, when a 15-year-old parishioner of St. Francis Catholic Church in Sherwood discovered the camera disguised as an electrical outlet affixed to a wall near a toilet at the church. He turned it over to Bien.
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