SEATTLE (WA)
National Catholic Reporter
Dan Morris-Young | May. 15, 2014
The Seattle archdiocese has been harshly criticized for not publicly releasing the name of a priest removed from ministry a decade ago for the sexual exploitation of a teen. The priest then socialized with parishioners and performed occasional baptisms, weddings and funerals despite his removal until his past recently came to the attention of some parishioners.
The former chair and vice chair of the board that reviewed sexual abuse allegations in 2004 has leveled unvarnished reproof. That case review board urged the archdiocese to make public Fr. Harry Quigg’s identity and offenses.
“The investigation’s documents, dating to 2004 and which the archdiocese has refused to make public, would reveal that a 17-year-old boy involved with … Quigg was passed among the priest and friends, according to multiple sources,” wrote Joel Connelly in a blog post Monday for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, an online newspaper.
A May 2 statement from the archdiocese said that now-retired Archbishop Alexander Brunett had gone against the review board’s recommendation to release Quigg’s name “because of the determination that the sexual contact did not involve a minor” and “Quigg’s request to respect his privacy.”
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