HOUSTON (TX)
Catholic News Service
November 26, 2018
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston called a series of news stories by CBS News on the church sex abuse scandal “inaccurate,” saying they “demand a response.”
“In these stories, CBS alleges that the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has allowed priests who have been ‘credibly accused’ of sexual abuse against a minor to continue their ministry as priests,” said the cardinal, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“The archdiocese responded to over 30 questions submitted to it by CBS News this past weekend, only to see almost all of our responses completely ignored by the CBS team,” he added in a statement released late Nov. 21.
In a story that aired Nov. 20, CBS News reported on allegations made against Fr. Terence Brinkman and Fr. John Keller, who are in active ministry in Houston.
In his statement, DiNardo confirmed the two priests each had had an accusation of abuse lodged against them, which they both denied, he said. The respective incidents occurred decades ago, the cardinal said, and a lay board reviewed them and concluded the priests should stay in ministry.
“It is true that two priests remain in ministry who have each been accused of sexually abusing a minor,” DiNardo said. “One accusation was made approximately 20 years after the alleged abuse. The other was made over 30 years after the alleged abuse. Both priests denied they had committed sexual abuse.
“Each accusation was reviewed by the archdiocesan lay review board who recommended that both priests be allowed to minister,” he continued. “These are the only accusations made against either priest, who have each served more than 40 years in the archdiocese.”
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