June 28, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rev. Kenneth J. Doyle

Chancellor for Public Information

518-453-6612 (office)

IN ACCORD WITH NATIONAL POLICY ON SEX ABUSE

In each case the sex abuse took place anywhere from 15 to 35 years ago and no reoccurrence has ever been alleged.

The six priests are:

Rev. David G. Bentley, currently on inactive status

Rev. John P. Bertolucci, retired

Rev. Edward Leroux, retired and in residence at St. Mary’s, Glens Falls

Rev. Joseph A. Mancuso, pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Schenectady

Rev. Edward C. Pratt, pastor of Corpus Christi, Ushers

Rev. James J. Rosch, pastor of St. Joseph’s, Fort Edward

The withdrawals comply with a resolution of the nation’s Catholic bishops at a meeting two weeks ago in Dallas which adopted a universal "zero tolerance" policy. That resolution decreed "that for even a single act of sexual abuse… - past, present or future – the offending priest or deacon will be permanently removed from ministry."

The six priests affected will never be reassigned to active ministry. A determination is yet to be made, in each case, as to whether they will seek removal from the clerical state or whether they will be permitted to live the rest of their lives in "a life of prayer and penance", probably in a monastery setting. In the latter case, they would not be permitted to celebrate Mass publicly, to wear clerical garb or to present themselves publicly as a priest.

Bishop Hubbard said that he felt that the decision of the national bishops conference to withdraw any offender retroactively as well as prospectively was "reasonable, given the overriding necessity of restoring the credibility of the Church and people’s confidence in their priests." At the same time, said the bishop, he felt "deeply saddened that these priests, who repented of their sins many years ago and showed that repentance by decades of holy and productive ministry, will never be able to function as priests again."

"It is a considerable loss to the diocese and to many parishioners," noted the bishop of his decision to remove the six priests permanently. "I hope the loss will be outweighed by the restoration of trust" he observed, noting that "the common good inclined me to vote for the resolution in Dallas."

"In this whole matter, of course," the Bishop explained "my deepest sympathy of all is reserved for the victims of sexual abuse. I have listened to their anguish, wept with them, felt their sense of betrayal and helplessness, tried to reach out with whatever healing I could offer."

Father Bentley, 60, was ordained in 1975 and served as an associate pastor at St. Bridget’s in Copake Falls and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; as an instructor at Cardinal McCloskey School, and principal of Vincentian High School; as chaplain at Albany Medical Center and as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Sidney. Following a period of rehabilitation in the mid-1980’s for sexual abuse and evaluation of his fitness by independent psychologists, he was permitted to return to chaplaincy work at St. Peter’s Hospital and at Albany Medical Center.

In 1993, Father Bentley was allowed, under the supervision of the Franciscan Fathers who had been made aware of his background, to do missionary work in Zambia, and later to serve on the staff of a shrine in Ohio and a retreat center in New Mexico, where he also worked as a weekend sacramental minister under supervision.

In April of this year, Father Bentley was withdrawn from active ministry by Bishop Hubbard and recalled to the Albany diocese. The Dallas decree confirms Bishop Hubbard’s determination, already announced in April, that Father Bentley will never be reassigned.

Father Bertolucci, 64, was ordained in 1965. He served as an assistant pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Castleton, as pastor of St. Joseph’s in Little Falls and as administrator at St. Helen’s in Schenectady, St. James in Chatham and St. Mary’s/Our Lady of Mt. Carmel/ Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Sacred Heart in Hudson. He also served on the faculty of St. John’s High School in Rensselaer, Maria College and the University of Steubenville as well as chaplain at the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse, at LaSalle School in Albany and at Greene County Community College and Greene County Correctional Facility and as a vice-chancellor of the Albany diocese.

Father Bertolucci served as associate pastor at St. Ambrose parish in Latham until he moved to the St. Anthony of Padua Friary in Catskill in 2001. He retired earlier this year.

Father Leroux, 72, was ordained in 1956. He served as an associate pastor at Nativity in Edmeston, Our Lady of Victory in Troy, St. Mary’s in Gloversville, St. Joseph’s in Cohoes and St. Madeleine Sophie in Guilderland; as administrator at Sacred Heart in Stamford, as pastor at Sacred Heart in Cohoes, Sacred Heart in Berlin and St. Joseph’s, Fort Edward. Upon his retirement in 1996 he continued to live at St. Joseph’s in Fort Edward. and since January of 2001 he has resided at St. Mary’s in Glens Falls.

Father Mancuso, 60, was ordained in 1970. He served as an associate pastor at Holy Spirit in East Greenbush and at St. Patrick’s in Ravena. Since 1970, he has been stationed at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Schenectady, as associate pastor from 1970-79 and a pastor since 1979.

Father Pratt , 58, was ordained in 1972. He served as an associate pastor at St. Mary’s in Glens Falls and Immaculate Conception in Glenville and as pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hudson Falls from 1990-96 and at Corpus Christi in Ushers from 1996 until the present.

Father Pratt has also served as chaplain at Adirondack Community College, assistant principal of Vincentian High School, principal of St. Mary’s of the North Country High School and as a vice-chancellor of the diocese.

Father Rosch, 55, was ordained in 1972. He served as an associate pastor at St. Joseph’s in Scotia, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Gloversville, at St. Paul the Apostle in Troy, at St. Madeleine Sophie in Guilderland and at Our Lady of the Annunciation in Queensbury. Since 1996, Father Rosch has been pastor of St Joseph’s parish in Fort Edward.

In revealing the names of the priests he is removing today, Bishop Hubbard said that he was moved by the plea of the bishops’ decree in Dallas for "transparency and openness."

Of the six priests, the incidents involving Fathers Bentley, Bertolucci, Leroux and Rosch were known to Bishop Hubbard in February of this year, when he revealed to the press that he was aware of nine priests who had been involved in sexual abuse of children out of a total of 450 priests who had served the diocese during his 25 years as bishop. Bishop Hubbard noted in February that a majority of those nine had already been removed from ministry and that the few who remained in ministry were being monitored and had returned to ministry only after lengthy rehabilitation and pronouncement of their fitness by independent psychologists. Bishop Hubbard said he felt "comforted and confirmed" by the fact that those who had been placed back in ministry had not reoffended’ but noted that there is "an overwhelming desire among Catholics for a ‘clean sweep’, so that they can feel confident that no priest who serves them has ever abused a child."

The incidents involving Father Mancuso and Pratt surfaced in recent weeks during the spate of publicity on the issue. Now that those two investigations have been completed, the bishop said he felt it was time to "make this painful announcement and move forward."