Priests accused of sex abuse remained in ministry, former bishop admits

ROCHESTER (NY)
WHAM 13 ABC

July 6, 2020

By Ginny Ryan

For the first time, and under oath, Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark has admitted priests accused of sex abuse continued to serve in ministry.

The bishop’s testimony came as part of bankruptcy proceedings for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.

In his own words, he offers a rare look into how priests accused of sex abuse were handled.

“In times past, there was no accountability,” according to Jeff Anderson, an attorney for sex abuse survivors. “There was not an opportunity to take this kind of deposition and ask a broad range of questions.”

During a three-hour deposition, Bishop Clark was questioned about more than 50 priests accused of abuse. Some, he said, he did not remember.

But there are many he did, including Rev. Eugene Emo.

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