Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Bishop says priest apologized for abusing teen

The Rev. Thomas Crum, a Roman Catholic priest who admitted that he sexually abused a male teenage student for a period of a year, has apologized for his behavior.

''He apologized to me for the shame that this has brought on the diocese and the church,'' said Catholic Diocese of Youngstown Bishop George V. Murry, during a news conference today at diocesan offices.

Murry said that the victim has requested no contact with Crum.

But Murry said he has apologized to the victim on behalf of the church and offered the support of the church.

In honoring the victim's request for anonymity, Murry would not make public the victim's age. He did indicate that the victim does not live in the six-county diocese.

''It is a very sad situation that a young person was sexually abused by someone that he trusted,'' Murry said.

He reiterated his sorrow for the pain endured by survivors of abuse and his commitment to protecting ''our children'' and said he is encouraging all victims and anyone with knowledge of sexual misconduct of a minor to report it to the diocese and civil authorities.

Murry said he was contacted on May 22 by the victim who made the allegation against Crum.

The victim was a teenager at the time of the abuse in 1975 and 1976 and a student at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, where Crum was on the faculty.

Although the investigation is ongoing, Murry said the incidents of abuse do not appear to have occurred on school or church property.

Removed from ministry

Crum, 60, has been removed from ministry and placed in a psychiatric treatment center.

He resigned as pastor of Our Lady of Peace parish in Canton at Murry's request, after acknowledging to church officials that the victim's allegation was true.

Crum told church officials that he has no other victims.

Murry said the incident was immediately reported to the Youngstown Police Department, which has launched an investigation and to the prosecutor's offices in Mahoning and Stark counties. No charges against Crum have been filed. The criminal statute of limitations on the allegation has expired.

A letter explaining that the diocese had a credible allegation of sexual misconduct against Crum was read last weekend at all Masses at Our Lady of Peace and the other parishes in the diocese where Crum has served.

The letter also stated that Crum had admitted to the allegation and that he had been removed from ministry, meaning he is prohibited from celebrating the sacraments, wearing clerical attire and presenting himself as a priest in good standing.

In accordance with the rules adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and approved by the Vatican, Crum will not be permitted to return to active ministry because of the abuse.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome will determine whether he may remain an inactive priest (which allows him to only celebrate Mass alone) or be laicized, or defrocked.

Crum can also choose to resign from the priesthood.

Meeting at school

Parents and faculty of Our Lady of Peace School also received a letter informing them that a response team will be sent to meet with parents at 6 p.m. Friday at the parish. The team will be available to assist parents with how to discuss what has happened with their children.

Diocesan officials are also working with the administration at Cardinal Mooney to compile a list of students who were at the school while Crum was on the faculty, from 1975 to 1977.

The goal is to inform them of what has happened and to ask them if there are other victims.

''All of these steps have been taken to rectify an egregious offense and crime from the past, ensure that our children are safe today and be transparent about the actions that the diocese has taken,'' Murry said.

''Our goal is to do everything humanly possible so that a child is never abused by any person associated with the church.''

In addition to his assignments at Cardinal Mooney and Our Lady of Peace, Crum has served parishes in Warren, Campbell, Orwell, Boardman and Youngstown. He also was an assistant pastor at Immaculate Conception in Ravenna and pastor at St. Anthony in Canton and at St. Peter in Rootstown.

In 1994, he took a personal leave of absence and returned to parish ministry in 1997.

Murry said the leave of absence was granted at Crum's request because Crum was ''having some doubts about whether he wanted to continue as a priest.''

Diocesan records indicate that Crum attended culinary school during that time.

Anyone wanting to report an incident of sexual misconduct by clergy or others associated with the diocese may contact the diocesan victim's assistance coordinator at 330-744-8451.

Crum has been replaced at Our Lady of Peace by the Rev. Lewis Gaetano.
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