Portland, Maine, Bishop Richard Malone is appealing to the Holy See against a special tribunal decision clearing a local priest of abuse charges. Keep Me Current reports that at issue are charges of sexual abuse of a minor against Fr. Thomas Lee.
According to Sue Bernard, communications director of the Portland diocese, all the complaints received by the Diocese originated from Lee's time as parish priest in Boothbay Harbor, which ended 23 years ago. Lee's last assignment was in St. Philip Parish, Lyman,from 1985-2003.
According to Bernard, Lee, now 81, was removed from the ministry five years ago by then-Bishop Joseph Gerry when the investigation was reopened. Claims against him were initially made in 2002 but, said Bernard, were not substantiated. Lee has not had a ministry since 2003, said Bernard.
Last month, Bishop Malone announced a decision to appeal a tribunal's findings that ruled the sexual abuse accusations against Lee were not proven. According to a Dec. 23 news release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Lee's was the first case in the Diocese of a priest charged with sexual abuse of minors to be adjudicated by a tribunal.
The tribunal, or church court, acknowledged that Lee's actions, which took place in the early 1980s, were "imprudent."
According to the Diocese, in March 2004, Gerry forwarded the case to the Vatican and requested a trial by a church tribunal of three priests - or judges - from outside the Diocese of Portland, which encompasses the entire state of Maine.
The Vatican authorized the establishment of a tribunal in Portland in 2006 and testimony was presented during 2007. The tribunal informed the bishop of its decision in August 2008. Malone made his request for an appeal in September, saying in the December news release that he was "stunned and disappointed at the outcome of this case and frustrated that the process has taken so long."
Bernard said it took three months for Malone to announce he was appealing the tribunal's decision because Malone was hoping to hear a quick response from the Vatican. After three months, Malone believed he needed to issue a statement, she said.
But members of Fr. Lee's former St. Philip Parish are not taking the news of the appeal well and are rallying around their former priest.
Fr. Lee, who was ordained in 1953, served in St. Mary's Parish in Bath from 1977-1985 before he was assigned to Lyman. He also served at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor, 1971-1985; the Boys' Training Center, Men's Correctional Center, 1955-1971; at St. Martin of Tours in Millinocket, 1953-1955; and, as chaplain at Mercy Hospital and Maine Medical Center in Portland.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: CTHUS)