This article has been updated.
WASHINGTON — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop
Michael J. Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston, W.V., and has instructed Baltimore
Archbishop William E. Lori to conduct an investigation into allegations that
Bishop Bransfield sexually harassed adults.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Vatican nuncio to the United
States, announced Bishop Bransfield's retirement Sept. 13 and the appointment
of Archbishop Lori as apostolic administrator of Wheeling-Charleston.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore released the news that Archbishop
Lori had received a specific charge from the pope to investigate allegations
against the bishop.
"My primary concern is for the care and support of the
priests and people of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston at this difficult
time," Archbishop Lori said in the statement Sept. 13. "I further
pledge to conduct a thorough investigation in search of the truth into the
troubling allegations against Bishop Bransfield and to work closely with the
clergy, religious and lay leaders of the diocese until the appointment of a new
bishop."
Archbishop Lori was to meet with clergy and lay leaders of the
diocese Sept. 13 and 14. He also planned to celebrate Mass in Wheeling the
evening of Sept. 15 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
In response, the diocese established a hotline — (833) 272-4225 —
for people wanting to share information related to the investigation.
Bishop Bransfield had headed the statewide diocese since his
episcopal ordination and installation in February 2005.
A Philadelphia native who is former rector of the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Bishop Bransfield
is 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn in their
resignation.
In 2012, Bishop Bransfield criticized what he called "false
hearsay statements" that were made during a Philadelphia trial of two
priests on sex abuse-related charges.
The bishop wrote in a letter to priests and people of his diocese
that a "hearsay allegation" that he had engaged in improper conduct
with a high school student in the 1970s "has been put to rest" by the
student in question and others.
"I can only repeat what I have stated before publicly: I
have never abused anyone," the bishop said then.
The allegation surfaced during the trial of Msgr. William Lynn,
former secretary of clergy in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, on charges of child
endangerment; he was later found guilty of one count and sentenced to a prison
term.
At the trial, a witness testified that a now-defrocked priest had
told him that a young man in a car with then-Father Bransfield was being abused
by Father Bransfield. Ronald Rock, a Philadelphia business executive, later
publicly identified himself as that young man.
The diocese said in a news release accompanying the bishop's
letter that Rock confirmed he was the boy in the car and that nothing
inappropriate occurred. A second student who was present during the weekend in
question also confirmed no inappropriate conduct occurred, the release said.
Bishop Bransfield also said at the time that another allegation
raised in 2007 by a former student and dating back to the 1970s had been
investigated by the Philadelphia Archdiocese and that Cardinal Justin Rigali,
head of the archdiocese at the time, "issued a formal determination that
the allegation had not been substantiated."
After looking into the allegation, local prosecutors decided not
to bring charges.
Bishop Bransfield was ordained in 1971 by Cardinal John J. Krol.
His assignments included teacher, chaplain and chairman of the religion
department at Lansdale Catholic High School. In 1980 he joined the staff of the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, first as
assistant director of liturgy and finally as rector before being appointed to
West Virginia.
He also served a term as treasurer of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops and as a member of the committees on communications and
national collections.