Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 2/17/05)

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde announced today that Father Robert C. Brooks, 72, was removed from his active priestly ministry immediately after Loudoun County officials informed the Diocese on Oct. 4, 2004, of their intent to charge Father Brooks with alleged possession of child pornography. Father Brooks submitted his resignation as pastor of St. John the Apostle, Leesburg, on Oct. 5, 2004, which Bishop Loverde immediately accepted. Father John P. Mosimann was appointed temporary administrator of St. John the Apostle, Oct. 4, 2004.

In accord with the Child Protection Policy of the Diocese of Arlington, Father Brooks was removed from ministry and his canonical faculties were withdrawn, pending the outcome of the investigation. "Any cleric … found guilty of an incident of … illegal sexual misconduct [e.g., possession of child pornography] shall be required to relinquish diocesan faculties and forbidden to function as a cleric pending the outcome of any civil/criminal actions, if any" (Child Protection Policy, Sec. 9.2). Sexual misconduct, according to diocesan policy, refers to "any sexual conduct which is unlawful, as defined by criminal statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia … and/or by canons 277 and 1395 of the Code of Canon Law" (Policy, 2.8).

Until this point, the diocese was aware of no sexual misconduct on the part of Father Brooks in his 30 years as a priest of the Diocese of Arlington (1974-2004) or the 13 years as a priest of the Diocese of Richmond (1961-1974).

Ordained in 1961 for the Diocese of Richmond, Father Brooks became formally affiliated with the Diocese of Arlington at its establishment in 1974. Father Brooks held previous assignments as pastor, St. James, Falls Church, 1980-1990; pastor, St. Ambrose, Annandale, 1973-1980; pastor, St. Mark, Vienna, 1972; administrator and pastor, St. John, Highland Springs (Diocese of Richmond), 1971; assistant pastor, St. Philip, Falls Church, 1968-1971; assistant pastor, St. Louis, Alexandria, 1961-1968.

The Diocese of Arlington has had a written Child Protection Policy since 1991. The policy is online at www.arlingtondiocese.org, under Child Protection and Safety, along with other diocesan information.