Document: Levada forbade US priest accused of sex abuse from working with kids
By APSaturday, April 3, 2010
Document: Levada kept accused priest from US kids
VATICAN CITY — A church document released by the Vatican’s lawyer shows that Cardinal William Levada insisted that a priest accused of sexually abusing teenagers in the United States not work with children when he went back to church work after therapy.
The document was provided to The Associated Press on Saturday after lawyers for victims released a 2006 deposition by Levada, a former Portland, Oregon, archbishop, in which he defended not telling the state’s parishioners about the allegations against the Rev. Joseph Baccellieri.
Levada removed Baccellieri in 1992 after complaints involving teenage boys but allowed him to return on a limited basis under close supervision in 1994 after undergoing therapy.
The restrictions included not working directly with children or teens and continuing therapy.
