April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
DIOCESAN ACTION

Priests removed from ministry

All deny allegations of abuse
The Albany Diocese announced that Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has taken the following actions involving four retired priests related to allegations of sexual abuse of minors:

• The Rev. Robert Purcell, retired pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Margaretville (Delaware County), has been removed from ministry.

The allegation made recently against Father Purcell, 76, involved an incident in 1957, 17 years prior to his ordination to the priesthood.

As is the Diocese's policy, the allegation was promptly forwarded to the Albany County District Attorney's office, based on where the alleged abuse occurred. After the DA's office concluded that it would not pursue criminal proceedings, the Diocese's Sexual Misconduct Review Board initiated its investigation.

The Review Board determined there were reasonable grounds to believe the abuse occurred. Father Purcell has denied the allegation.

• Revs. Alan Jupin, Donald Ophals and Louis Douglas are on administrative leave from ministry pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation initiated this month by the Diocesan Review Board. They, along with a fourth priest, John Bertolucci, are accused of sexually abusing a minor in Albany between 1986 and 1991.

Bishop Hubbard had already removed Bertolucci from ministry in 2002 based on unrelated sexual abuse allegations. The Diocese referred the new allegation to the Albany County District Attorney's office, as is its policy. The DA's office has advised the Diocese that it will not pursue criminal proceedings.

Father Jupin, 73, is the retired pastor of Our Lady of Fatima parish in Schenectady and Father Ophals, 77, is retired as pastor of St. Francis de Sales parish in Troy. Though retired, both have remained active in ministry.

While on administrative leave neither will be permitted to act as a priest, celebrate the Mass or other sacraments publicly or wear the clerical garb. Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Bertolucci have denied the allegation.

Father Douglas, 82, who retired from St. Catherine of Siena parish in Albany in 1992, is no longer active in ministry. He is under medical care in a nursing facility, and is unable to respond to the allegation.

Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Douglas also went on administrative leave in 2003 when the Diocese received a sexual abuse allegation from another individual. The Diocesan Review Board investigated, but the allegation could not be substantiated. Fathers Jupin, Ophals and Douglas were restored to ministry in 2004.

The actions taken by Bishop Hubbard and the Review Board are consistent with Diocesan policy and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The Albany Diocese has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse of children by clerics. Any priest or deacon against whom an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is substantiated at any time is removed from ministry.

The Albany Diocese urges anyone who as a child was sexually abused by a Catholic priest or deacon to report the matter to a law enforcement agency or to the Diocese. The Diocese investigates all allegations of sexual abuse by clergy. To report abuse or to seek help, please contact the Diocese's assistance coordinator, Theresa F. Rodrigues, at (518) 453-6646 or assistance. [email protected].[[In-content Ad]]

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