How many times have we heard that this problem is in the past?
A Minnesota priest Pope Francis had recently tapped as bishop for the Duluth, Minn., diocese has resigned over allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.
The Vatican said Monday that the pontiff has accepted Bishop-elect Michel Mulloy’s resignation after naming him bishop in June.
Mulloy, who was set to be officially elevated Oct. 1, was serving as an administrator in the Rapid City, S.D., diocese at the time of his appointment. The diocese received the allegation against him last month, according to The Associated Press.
The diocese said in a statement that Mulloy was “directed to refrain from engaging in ministry” and that the allegation was passed onto law enforcement.
“The diocese then commissioned an independent investigation to determine whether the allegation warranted further investigation under Cannon [church] Law,″ the Rapid City diocese statement said. The diocese determined the allegation met the standard for reporting it to the Vatican.
Go here to read the rest. No details have been released as to the allegations, so it is impossible to have an opinion about them. Unless these allegations were named after Mulloy was named as a Bishop-elect, this incident does not create faith in the vetting process used for new bishops. This of course is not a problem that can be blamed on Pope Francis since it long predates him. What can be said however is that his appointments do not inspire confidence that any searching inquiry is being made as to whether such allegations can be raised against a prospective bishop.
And beyond on this latest and not particularly surprising incident of sloppy vetting of a Bishop how can Catholics have confidence that anything coming the Vatican has credibility for orthodox Catholics? Clearly, we cannot.
“Vetting”? I’m sure he was vetted. Its just they have priorities and different standards in selecting, in fact they tend to be the exact opposite from what I would consider to be Catholic.
The only thing surprising is that he wasn’t a bishop (or higher) already.
Looks like he was nominated June 19th, and the diocese was notified of the charges in August. The diocese investigated and “the accusation met the standard for further investigation and conclusion and the Holy See was informed”. I’m actually impressed that the diocese would do an honest job while facing the certainty of alienating their likely future boss.
An accusation from the Reagan era against a priest originally ordained in the Diocese of Sioux Falls befogging being incarnated in the Diocese of Rapid City where he’s served since 1986; one that met the dubious “credible” standard of plausibility.
I’m going to buck the conventional wisdom here and guess that Michel Mulloy was “Pelled.”
“befogging”? I’m befuddled.
From Mulloy’s wikipedia page, it looks like he’s spent all but two years of his career in the Diocese of Rapid City.
This topic, episcopacy and leadership, was discussed on the last ‘Franciscan Univ. Presents’ program on EWTN. Scott Hahn (lack of leadership unlike that authoritatively given by our Lord on the road to Emmaus), Ralph Martin (neither our friends the Saints nor the devil accepted as real and as a mgmt. co. the episcopal leaders are generally incompetent), Most Rev. Robt. Baron (not teaching that devil is smarter and stronger than us or that Christ is most strong), and Pres. of Univ. moderator Fr. David Pivonka were the group.