LV bishop speaks out on sexual-abuse issue

Stacy J. Willis

Friday, March 29, 2002 | 11:26 a.m.

In keeping with an increasing number of U.S. Catholic bishops, Las Vegas Bishop Joseph Pepe issued a statement Thursday night addressing "stories of sexual abuse of children by some priests throughout the country."

The written statement was read and distributed after Holy Thursday Mass, which commemorates Jesus' last supper, at parishes throughout the diocese.

It did not address the local abuse and negligence lawsuit filed this month by the families of six teenage boys against the Rev. Mark Roberts of St. Peter the Apostle Church in Henderson. The suit also names the diocese, former Bishop Daniel Walsh and Pepe.

Henderson police are still investigating that case.

In his full-page statement, which drew standing applause in some churches, Pepe said, "We are saddened and troubled by the actions of some of our brother priests and profoundly concerned about those who have been victimized by clergy in the various dioceses around the country.

"We are called to respond with pastoral sensitivity, concern and assistance to those who have been affected by these grave scandals."

The Catholic Church has come under fire not only for the misconduct of some of its priests, but for failing to turn those priests over to law enforcement. In some cases, such as in Boston, that failure has led to multiple cases of abuse and subsequently millions of dollars in lawsuits.

Regarding the diocese's policies for reporting to law enforcement accusations of child abuse and for the reassignment of accused priests -- Pepe wrote, "I pledge to continue to fully cooperate immediately with the authorities when allegations of this nature arise."

Pepe's statement also emphasized that the diocese provides "extensive screening" of candidates for the priesthood.

An attorney who has represented more than five cases against the diocese of Las Vegas, Jeff Anderson, said the statement was "too little, too late."

"It's a beginning of openness, and that's good. But they are still missing the point," Anderson said. "This is not about a few priests committing a few sins. It is about a lot of priests committing felonies."

"And until they do something to stop that, the problem is still there."

Anderson represented Larry Zajac, a victim of sexual abuse at St. Peter the Apostle in Henderson in an unrelated 1994 case. The Diocese settled that case for an undisclosed amount of money.

"My first reaction is that it's kind of an empty statement," Zajac, 49, said.

"One of the issues with that statement is it means they're going to continue with their existing policy and they haven't made their current policy public, so that creates a problem," Zajac said.

Before releasing his statement, Pepe spoke of the value of priests in his homily at a crowded service at Guardian Angel Cathedral.

"We are dependent on these fine men," the bishop said. "One of the things I notice over and over again with our priests is the sincerity and depth of dedication to the priesthood. ...

"Our priests have accepted a life that makes demands of them every day. ... And our priests are there for you. Obviously not perfectly, but they are there."

Across town at St. Peter the Apostle, where Roberts allegedly sexually abused six boys on several occasions in the last four years, the pews were nearly full.

In place of Roberts, who was sent by the diocese to an undisclosed "treatment center" after the allegations of abuse arose, Monsignor Patrick Leary gave the homily.

In addition to speaking of the humility of Jesus and his service to others, Leary spoke of "the sins of some clergy."

"We are embarrassed," Leary told the parishioners. "But we must set aside our embarrassment and our own wounded pride ... to reach out to victims and heal."

The statements of local Catholic leaders were well-received by many parishioners, who had been waiting for some acknowledgment of the international turmoil in the church.

"We need to tackle this head on," Dennis Ortwein, a parishioner at Our Lady of Las Vegas, said. "People appreciate a diocese speaking about it."

Still, some say such statements fall short of effectively addressing the issue.

"Churches should make it clear that priests will be defrocked for failing to report suspected abuse," said David Clohessey, national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, a Chicago-based organization. "And that has never been the case."

The Diocese of Reno issued a statement addressing the issue of sex abuse by priests on March 22.

"I think that typically Catholics in the pews are angry and shocked," Brother Matthew Cunningham, an official with the Reno Diocese, said.

"I don't want to start a range war with the Las Vegas Diocese, but we saw that the average person the average person wants information and they want to know what you're doing," he said.

Reno Bishop Phillip Straling said his diocese "has no present or pending cases of sexual abuse by clergy with minors."

The Reno statement went on to describe diocese policies:

In addition to running fingerprint checks on priest candidates, Straling said, "we abide by the reporting law that if any sexual abuse of minors comes to our attention, it is reported not only to the Bishop, but also to proper civil authorities. Any priest coming to the Diocese of Reno is required to have from his Bishop or Religious Superior a signed statement that to their knowledge there have been no accusations or history of offenses against minors ...

"When any accusation of sexual abuse, including those of minors, are reported to my office, a review committee will investigate the matter. Likewise, the necessary reporting to civil authorities will be made ... If the abuse has been against children, they will not be reassigned," Straling wrote.

Zajac said, "I believe the Reno policy has much more substance than the Diocese of Las Vegas has."