DIOCESE OF ORANGE
NEWS RELEASE
For further information contact
Father Joseph Fenton, SM
Director of Media Relations
(714) 282-3003 * (714) 270-3655 (cp)
January 10, 2004
SIXTEEN PRIESTS ACCUSED AND REMOVED FROM
MINISTRY REPORTED TO JOHN JAY STUDY NAMED
The Diocese of Orange reported to the John Jay
College of Criminal Justice that 16 priests were accused by 47 people,
according to the numbers released by Shirl Giacomi, Chancellor of
the Diocese. The 16 priests represent 2.8% of the 589 clergy who
have ministered in the diocese since its founding in l976. The study
period ended December 31, 2002, and covers only clergy, not lay
church employees.
They are: Christian Anderson, Franklin Buckman,
Santino Casamino, Richard Coughlin, Robert Foley, Michael Harris,
Edgardo Arrunataegui Jimenez, John Kenney, John Lenihan, Denis Lyons,
Gary Pacheco, Michael Pecharich, Henry Perez, Eleuterio Ramos, Siegfried
Widera. The sixteenth, who is deceased, cannot be identified per
the victim’s request.
Jerome Henson was not included in our statistics
for the John Jay study since the allegation naming him was made
while he was serving in the Diocese of Sacramento.
Every diocese, eparchy and religious order in
the U.S. is participating in this national study, commissioned by
the independent National Review Board of the United States Catholic
Conference of Bishops, to determine the number of incidents, offenders
and victims of sexual abuse of minors between 1950 and 2002.
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the
City University of New York was selected because of its reputation
for research and education in the areas of forensic science, criminology
and human behavior.
The following is a breakdown of the numbers
for the diocese. Twelve priests were removed from active ministry
as a result of credible allegations. Two priests remain on administrative
leave and cannot minister because their cases have not yet been
adjudicated. Another priest died before the allegation was made.
A religious priest left the diocese and later served as a military
chaplain for 22 years before the allegation was made against him.
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