The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany tells us Bishop Howard J.
Hubbard has taken action against four retired priests who are accused of
sexually abusing minors.
The Rev. Robert Purcell, 76, the retired pastor of Sacred Heart
Parish in Margaretville was removed from ministry.
The allegation
against Purcell involved the claim of an incident in 1957. The diocese
says that was seventeen years prior to his ordination to the priesthood.
The diocese says it forwarded the allegation to the Albany County
District Attorney’s office where, according to the church, prosecutors
will not pursue any criminal proceeding.
Father Alan Jupin, 73, is the retired pastor of Our Lady of Fatima
Parish in Schenectady and Father Donald Ophals, 77, was once pastor of
St. Francis de Sales Parish in Troy.
Each has remained active in
ministry.
While on administrative leave, neither will be permitted to
act as a priest, celebrate the Mass or other sacraments publicly nor
wear the clerical garb.
Father Louis Douglas, 82, retired from St. Catherine of Siena Parish
in Albany in 1992 and is no longer active in ministry.
The diocese says
he is "under medical care" in a nursing facility.
Goldfarb said, "Jupin, Ophals, and Douglas are on administrative
leave from ministry pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation
initiated this month by the Diocesan Review Board.
They, along with a
fourth priest, John Bertolucci, are accused of sexually abusing a minor
in Albany between 1986 and 1991. Bishop Hubbard had already removed
Bertolucci from ministry in 2002 based on unrelated sexual abuse
allegations."
Goldfarb says the diocese referred the new allegation to the Albany
County District Attorney’s office and was told criminal proceedings will
not be pursued.
In a new release, diocese spokesman Kenneth Goldfarb said, "Fathers
Jupin, Ophals and Douglas also went on administrative leave in 2003 when
the Diocese received a sexual abuse allegation from another individual.
The Diocesan Review Board investigated, but the allegation could not be
substantiated. Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Douglas were restored to
ministry in 2004."