Diocese continues to fulfill Charter

Continuing to fulfill "The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," the Diocese of Albany last week asked Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney to investigate a claim by an alleged sexual abuse victim, known as "John Doe #4," that he was stalked and intimidated by a priest. The DA agreed to pursue the allegation.

The Charter, which outlines how dioceses should handle claims of abuse, was passed at a Dallas meeting last June, when the U.S. bishops -- including Bishop Howard J. Hubbard -- strengthened already existing policies on dealing with sexual abuse of children.

In the year since Dallas, the Albany Diocese has adhered strictly to the Charter's guidelines, which include instigating zero tolerance for abusive clergy, forming a lay panel to investigate claims, training employees to prevent abuse and reporting allegations of crimes to civil authorities. It was under the latter guideline that the Diocese acted last week.

Allegations

The claim of stalking was contained in a lawsuit filed last week by Attorney John Aretakis in state Supreme Court in Schenectady.

Mr. Aretakis claimed that Rev. Alan Jupin, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima parish in Schenectady, "sought out, followed, stalked and contacted" the alleged victim in 2002, and "placed [the victim] in fear and in the zone of danger" in an attempt to persuade him not to file a lawsuit over alleged sexual abuse.

Mr. Aretakis further maintained that Father Jupin engaged in these activities at the direction of diocesan officials "to further the personal or business interests of" the Diocese, Bishop Hubbard and Rev. Kenneth J. Doyle, chancellor.

Bishop's statement

"We believe these claims are false," said Bishop Hubbard, who became one of the first bishops in the nation to implement the Charter. "Nonetheless, any allegation of recent criminal conduct should be thoroughly investigated by the proper authorities.

"I directed our attorneys to make an immediate request to the District Attorney of Schenectady County that an investigation of these allegations be conducted. The Albany Diocese will cooperate fully in the investigation."

A letter from the Diocese's attorneys to District Attorney Carney stated: "Because of the nature of the allegations made, and in the spirit of the 'Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,' the Diocese believes that it has an affirmative duty to bring this matter to the attention of your office."

Other claims

The lawsuit by "John Doe #4" also claims that he was sexually abused in the 1970s, when he was in his late teens, by three priests of the Diocese: Revs. Louis Douglas, Alan Jupin and Donald Ophals.

A fourth priest is named in the suit, but he is a British clergyman who was never assigned in nor affiliated with the Diocese.

Because the alleged abuse lies beyond the statute of limitations, those claims were not referred to the District Attorney. However, the Diocese affirmed that in keeping with the Charter, it investigates every complaint of clergy sexual abuse that it receives and will investigate the abuse allegation made in this lawsuit.

Bishop Hubbard reacted positively to District Attorney Carney's comment in a newspaper account that the abuse allegations are "intertwined" with the stalking charge. The Bishop said he would "welcome and be grateful for Mr. Carney's help in investigating whatever is required to find a just resolution to this matter."

Placed on leave

The three priests have requested and been granted voluntary leaves of absence from ministry while the allegations are investigated by the Schenectady County District Attorney and the Diocese.

Father Jupin; Father Ophals, pastor of St. Francis de Sales parish in Troy; and Father Douglas, who is retired and living in Delaware, will not conduct public ministry nor be reassigned to other duties during their leaves.

The three have strenuously denied the allegations, but each believes the well-being of the Church is best served by his taking a temporary leave from ministry, said a statement from the Diocese.

Zero tolerance

The Albany Diocese has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse by clergy, meaning that no priest can remain in public ministry if an allegation of sexual abuse against him has been substantiated.

The allegations against the three have not been substantiated.

Any action taken against a priest based on a substantiated complaint of sexual abuse is announced publicly.

(5/15/03) [[In-content Ad]]