WASHINGTON
The Columbian
By Patty Hastings, Columbian Social Services, Demographics, Faith
Published: January 15, 2016
The Archdiocese of Seattle released a list of Catholic priests accused of sexually abusing children who served or lived in Western Washington, including 11 priests who had been assigned to Clark County parishes at one point.
The Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain apologized for the actions of those who abused children. The list’s publication was intended to “further transparency and accountability, and to continue to encourage victims of sexual abuse by clergy to come forward.”
The list consists of 77 clergy and religious brothers and sisters who served or lived in Western Washington between 1923 and 2008.
“Our work in this area will not be complete until all those who have been harmed have received assistance in healing, and until the evil of child sexual abuse has been eradicated from society,” Sartain said.
The Seattle Archdiocese reviewed cases where sexual abuse was “admitted, established or determined to be credible.” Most of the cases with local ties were documented by media in Western Washington.
• Michael C. OBrien was accused in 2008 of sexually abusing a minor while serving at Our Lady of Lourdes in Vancouver between 1965 and 1970, according to The Seattle Times. In 2004, he was placed on administrative leave while an archdiocesan board reviewed a 1993 allegation accusing the priest of abusing a teenage boy during a canoe trip. The alleged abuse occurred during his 20-year tenure at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Brush Prairie, where he served from 1979 to 1999. OBrien has been laicized from the church, meaning he’s lost his clergy status. Laicized priests can’t wear clerical dress, perform ceremonies or administer the sacraments.
• James Gandrau was barred from ministry in 2005 following allegations of child sexual abuse, according to The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. In 1991, he was assigned to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Vancouver. He died in 2012.
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