Advocates for the victims of sex abuse by priests denounced church officials in nine dioceses yesterday, accusing them of betraying the promises made by bishops at their meeting in Dallas last month to act decisively against molesters in the church.
The accusations were timed to come a day before the bishops' national sex abuse review board was to hold its first meeting, in Washington. The advocates, the leaders of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, have been invited to meet with the board.
The Survivors Network cited local newspaper reports to make a case that despite the adoption of what the bishops call tough guidelines on abuse and a new policy of openness, some bishops have been slow to dismiss abusive priests or are still keeping them in the ministry, and are fighting to keep secret the lawsuits by people who say they are victims or are concealing the amount of money paid in settlements.
"There is no excuse for leaving a dangerous man around children," David Clohessy, the network's executive director, told reporters at a news conference in Washington. "Many of the promises the bishops made in Dallas remain to be realized."
Mr. Clohessy referred to cases in the Archdioceses of Louisville, Chicago and Milwaukee and the Dioceses of Richmond, Tulsa, Kalamazoo, Lexington, Albany and San Diego. In Chicago, for example, the archdiocesan review board found "reasonable cause" to believe that the Rev. Raymond Skriba molested two girls nearly 40 years ago, according to a statement by Cardinal Francis E. George. But Cardinal George allowed him to resign from the pastorate and stopped short of permanently removing him from the ministry, as the guidelines indicate. He is suspended, the cardinal said, while a "second-stage review" proceeds.
A priest in McAlester, Okla., the Rev. Kenneth Lewis, was accused of inappropriate behavior with boys in the mid-1990's and spent time at a treatment center for earlier incidents, The Dallas Morning News reported. But Father Lewis continued to serve at a church until about 10 days ago, when he resigned. The Tulsa diocese declined to say why, mentioning only "personal reasons."
In Richmond, the Rev. John E. Leonard was reinstated within days of the Dallas meeting after a seven-week suspension, when he was investigated for inappropriate contact with three boys 30 years ago, The Washington Post reported. Members of the diocesan review panel said they had not been consulted.
Fathers Skriba and Leonard have denied the accusations, and Father Lewis has not responded to requests for comment.
Mr. Clohessy also criticized church officials in Kentucky, which has the largest number of lawsuits against priests in the country, more than 150, for fighting to keep the cases sealed.
A spokesman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops did not return a call for comment. But a spokesman for the chairman of the church-appointed review board, Gov. Frank Keating of Oklahoma, said Mr. Keating was just as concerned about the cases as the advocates.
"There are a lot of details that this board will want to know to determine exactly what these bishops are doing and what their decisions are based on," said the spokesman, Dan Mahoney. Once a bishop is found to have erred, Mr. Keating "will speak out," Mr. Mahoney said.
But the cases cited by the Survivors Network point up inherent uncertainties in the bishops' guidelines. It is still up to the diocese, ultimately, to determine the validity of an abuse charge. In assessing charges, local review boards are only to "assist" the bishop, who has final say.
The point of the national board is to review the work of a new agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the Office for Child and Youth Protection. The office, in turn, is supposed to oversee the policies of local review boards.
Victims' advocates had sought a permanent place on the national board but were rebuffed. Mr. Mahoney said Mr. Keating and the three other original board members did not want representatives of a group. "They wanted the members of the board to be individuals with expertise and experience and input," he said. The board does have one victim on it, a former priest, but the advocates point out he works for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The governor considers the advocates to be an "integral part of the process" and wants their suggestions, the spokesman said.