DIOCESE NAMES CLERGY ALLEGEDLY ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS IN 2003

The Diocese of Orange today named the six priests accused of the sexual abuse of minors in 2003. They are Sofronio Aranda, Richard Delahunty, Daniel Murray, John Ruhl, John Lord and Gerald Tanilong.

“In keeping with our Convenant With the Faithful and our open policy toward the media, the Diocese is releasing the names of those priests who were credibly accused of alleged sexual abuse of minors in 2003,” said Shirl Giacomi, Chancellor of the Diocese. Delahunty and Murray are on administrative leave pending the resolution of their cases. Ruhl is on inactive leave. Two others are deceased: Aranda and Lord.

Fr. Gerald Tanilong pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual abuse of a minor on January 30, 2004, and was thereby permanently removed from priestly ministry. He will be sentenced in Santa Ana Criminal Court on April 2, 2004.

The Diocese reported to the John Jay School of Criminology study (covering the period between June 18, 1976 when the Diocese was founded and December 31, 2002) to be published on February 27th that 16 priests had allegedly abused 47 people. These additional names raise the total of priests to 22 and the number of alleged victims to 53.

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