RICHMOND (VA)
The Daily Progress [Charlottesville VA]
July 16, 2021
By Colbi Edmonds, Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Richmond Catholic Diocese has added four names to its list of clergy who have credible, substantiated claims of sexual abuse involving a minor against them.
Three of the priests — Robert Beattie, Leo Creamer and Patrick Quinn — are dead. The fourth, Joseph Slowik, hasn’t actively served in the ministry since 2006.
They join the list, which was first made public in 2019, of 23 other priests with sexual abuse allegations in the diocese, which includes the Charlottesville area.
Their allegations, which date back decades, were brought forth and reviewed in accordance with the diocesan Office of Safe Environment and the Diocesan Review Board, and authorities were notified.
Additional names, assignment histories and status of other clergy with abuse allegations are available on the diocese’s website.
The diocese will not release specific details of the abuse for privacy reasons, in accordance with “its pledge to help victim survivors in their healing,” according to a news release Friday.
The Diocese of Richmond urges people who were sexually abused by members of the church to report it to law enforcement agencies, including Child Protective Services at (800) 552-7096 and the Virginia Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Hotline at (833) 454-9064.
The diocese also urges people to call the confidential, 24-hour Victim Assistance Reporting line at (877) 887-9603. Reports of sexual abuse also may be emailed to vac@richmonddiocese.org.