As Roman Catholics marked Ash Wednesday, 21 priests suspended by the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia a day earlier for alleged sexual abuse
claims were identified.
On Tuesday, the Archdiocese announced the suspension from ministry of
21 priests cited by a Philadelphia Grand Jury report last month as
ducking what the panel believed were credible accusations of abuse.
A statement issued by the Archdiocese says Cardinal Justin Rigali
suspended the priests from active ministry pending a further review of
allegations of child sex abuse raised against the priests but dismissed
by an archdiocesan review board which ruled those complaints not
credible.
A source has confirmed to CBSPhilly the following list of priests who were suspended by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:
Monsignor John A. Close of St. Catherine of Siena in Wayne, Pa.
Father Mark Fernandes of St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church in Sellersville, Pa.
Monsignor J. Michael Flood of St. Luke the Evangelist in Glenside, Pa.
Rev. Joseph M. Glatts of SS. Simon and Jude in West Chester, Pa.
Rev. Steven J. Harris of St. Issac Jogues Catholic Church in Wayne, Pa.
Rev. Daniel J. Hoy of Our Lady of the Assumption in Strafford, Pa.
Fr. Andrew McCormick of Sacred Heart in Swedesburg, Pa.
Fr. Peter Talocci of St. Patrick’s in Malvern, Pa.
Fr. Phillip Barr of St. Edmond Parish in Philadelphia
Fr. John Bowe of St. Joseph in Warrington, Pa.
Fr. George Cadwallader of St. Vincent De Paul in Richboro, Pa.
Fr. Paul Castellani of St. Philomena in Lansdowne, Pa.
Fr. Michael Chapman of Ascension of Our Lord in Philadelphia
Msgr. Frances Feret of St. Adalbert’s Church in Philadelphia
Fr. Mark Gaspar of Our Lady of Charity in Brookhaven, Pa.
Msgr. Joseph Logrip of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer in North Wales, Pa
Fr. Zachary Navit of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Doylestown, Pa.
Fr. Leonard Peterson of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Hatfield, Pa.
Fr. Robert Povish of St. Eleanor in Collegeville, Pa.
Fr. John Reardon of St. John of the Cross in Roslyn, Pa.
Fr. Thomas J. Rooney of St. Timothy in Philadelphia, Pa.
On February 16th, Rigali announced that three priests — Father Joseph
DiGregoria, Father Joseph Gallagher, and Father Stephen Perzan, all of
whom were specifically named in the Grand Jury report — were being
suspended from public exercise of their ministry pending a second review
of their cases.
At that time, Rigali stated that the Archdiocese planned a re-review
of the 34 other cases of priest child sex abuse cited by the Grand
Jury’s review of those files as being credible.
According to the statement from the Archdiocese, five other priests
would have been subject to suspension, but one is already on leave and
two others are said to be incapacitated and have not been in active
ministry.
Two others are members of a religious order which has not been
identified and are no longer serving in the Archdiocese, according to
the statement. But their superiors have been notified as well as bishops
of the dioceses where they are living.
The Archdiocese says the eight remaining priests cited by the Grand
Jury will not be suspended and that the initial independent examination
of those cases found no further investigation warranted.
Due to the statute of limitations, none of the priests will face criminal charges.
On Tuesday, Cardinal Rigali released a statement that read in part:
“I know that for many people their trust in the church has been shaken.”
“The 2011 grand jury report … presented us with serious concerns that
demand a decisive response.”
Many people expressed their dissatisfaction and anger with the way the scandal has been handled by church officials.
“It’s like they’re trying more to protect their priests and their
reputation than to protect their children and their parishioners,” said
Barbara Hedgecock, of Treydiffrin Township.
And Bob Pisani, a parishioner of St. Katharine of Siena in Wayne
where Monsignor John Close was pastor, had this to say: “It’s just a
really sad thing. I think we’re really upset by it. As a member of the
church it’s really hard to see that happen.”
Rigali’s actions Tuesday were recommended by Gina Maisto Smith, a
former Philadelphia assistant DA who handled sex abuse crimes while a
prosecutor.
She was hired last month after the Grand Jury report to
advise the Archdiocese on these matters.
David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests (“SNAP”), calls Rigali’s move a long overdue step
which will make children safer in the short term.
But he says much more remains to be done.
“Suspending credibly accused child molesters is just a smart defense
move and it’s great PR and it’s something, frankly, that Rigali has no
choice but to do,” Clohessy told KYW Newsradio.
Sources say the suspended priests began getting notifications Monday
morning and were told to clear out of their parishes by 5 p.m. Monday.
The announcement came on the eve of Ash Wednesday, the start of the
Roman Catholic Church’s 40-day observance of Lent, a time of penance,
prayer and sacrifice.