TULSA (OK)
Tulsa World
Oct. 2, 2019
By Andrea Eger
The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma on Wednesday released the findings of an internal audit that found 11 Catholic clerics had been “credibly accused of sexual abuse against a minor.”
That’s 2% of all 544 clerics on record in the diocese’s 46-year history — which the leader of a national organization representing the sex abuse victims of priests called “extraordinarily low.”
Of publishing the new report and the names of all 11 “credibly accused,” Tulsa Bishop David Konderla wrote: “Though this might be a difficult path, I believe this is the best path to bring healing and to restore trust.”
The new report, which published the names of all 11 accused, does not include the Rev. Joe Townsend, the subject of an internal investigation the diocese described Wednesday as “still ongoing.” Townsend was placed on leave in July for what the diocese termed “a non-frivolous allegation” of sexual misconduct with a minor.
At the time, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he had been contacted by the diocese and he personally contacted the Tulsa Police Department about the allegation.
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