YAKIMA (WA)
Yakima Herald-Republic [Yakima WA]
July 25, 2022
To the editor — I read the Yakima Herald-Republic article, “Vatican issues reprimand of former Yakima bishop Carlos Seville” (July 18 issue).
Having family in Yakima and being Catholic myself, I think that bishops should be held to high standards of accountability when it comes to cases of sex abuse by clergy. The handling of such cases has been proven to have been woefully deficient in the Yakima Diocese and former Bishop Sevilla deserves the papal reprimand — and really should get more than just a slap on the wrist.
These scandals need to stop. Parishioners should not have their tithes used to pay off defense claims or attorney fees. If a priest or bishop is found guilty, he deserves jail time. And if that penalty were imposed more often where guilt is proven, it would greatly deter such offenses.
JAMES A. MARPLES
Longview, Texas