CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
"strongly and unconditionally" rejects the state attorney general's
assertion that "the diocese is not wholly committed to the protection of
children."
The diocese issued a statement March 19 in response to an
announcement earlier that day that Attorney General Patrick James Morrisey
brought a civil suit against the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and
its former bishop, Bishop Michael J. Bransfield, citing provisions of the West
Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
The filing says that based on its investigation, the state
attorney general's office claims that the diocese and Bishop Bransfield in past
years violated the consumer law by failing "to disclose to consumers of
its educational and recreational services that it employed priests and laity
who have sexually abused children."
The suit defines "educational and recreational
services" as the Catholic schools, summer camps and other entities in the
statewide diocese.
The diocese said it "will address the litigation in the
appropriate forum" but emphasized that the complaint "is based in
part on information included in (its) November 2018 public disclosure of clergy
credibly accused of child sexual abuse and on other information provided by the
diocese to the attorney general over the past five months."
"The November disclosure by the diocese contains details
concerning both the dates of the alleged occurrences and the dates they were
actually reported to the diocese, which in many cases were decades late,"
the statement added. "Further, some of the allegations of misconduct
contained in the attorney general's complaint occurred more than 50 years ago
and some are not accurately described."
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston said its commitment to
protecting children is "reflected in its rigorous Safe Environment
Program, the foundation of which is a zero tolerance policy for any cleric,
employee or volunteer credibly accused of abuse."
The program includes mandatory screening, background checks, and
training for all employees and volunteers who work with children, it said.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore has been apostolic
administrator of the diocese since Sept. 13, 2018. The Vatican named him to the
post the same day it announced the retirement of Bishop Bransfield as head of
the diocese.
The Vatican gave Archbishop Lori a mandate to investigate
allegations of sexual harassment of adults and financial improprieties made
against Bishop Bransfield.
On March 11, Archbishop Lori announced that a preliminary
investigation into the allegations had been completed and the findings were
being forwarded to the Vatican for final judgment. At the same time, the
archbishop announced restrictions on the bishop's ministry.
A news release from the Archdiocese of Baltimore noted that the
preliminary investigation took place over five months. Archbishop Lori
conducted the investigation with the assistance of a team of five lay experts.
The investigative team examined multiple allegations of sexual
harassment of adults and financial improprieties, according to the news
release. It involved interviews with more than 40 individuals, including Bishop
Bransfield.
In its March 19 statement, the diocese said the attorney general's
complaint does not "fairly portray its overall contributions to the
education of children in West Virginia nor fairly portray the efforts of its
hundreds of employees and clergy who work every day to deliver quality
education in West Virginia."