The Republic
The Associated Press
23 April 2013 4:01 pm EDT
GREENWOOD, South Carolina — Greenwood County deputies say a man who said he was inappropriately touched by priest 15 years ago has decided not to pursue charges because he thinks the Catholic church’s punishment will be enough.
An incident report obtained by The Index-Journal of Greenwood (http://bit.ly/17Vap42 ) said the victim told investigators he met the priest while he was a student at St. Joseph’s High School in Greenville.
Deputies say the victim told them the suspect rubbed him and only focused on sins related to sex during confession. The victim also told investigators the priest spent the night with him on occasion.
The name of the suspect was blacked out of the report. The Diocese of Charleston refused to confirm if the priest was the same one placed on administrative leave last month.
“Greenwood County deputies say a man who said he was inappropriately touched by priest 15 years ago has decided not to pursue charges because he thinks the Catholic church’s punishment will be enough.”
I hope he’s right! As we all know only too well, that has rarely been the case. I just hope that this priest isn’t eventually, as has oft been the case, recycled elsewhere to carry on presenting himself as a priest, be it in a parish, hospital, university or diocesan centre.