COVINGTON — A week after U.S. Catholic bishops adopted a new sexual abuse policy, the Archdiocese of Covington says it does not have immediate plans to relieve any of its priests of their pastoral duties.

Roger J. Foys

        While the Archdiocese of Louisville has already barred one priest from public ministry following the historic meeting, the Covington Diocese plans to have its local 12-member committee on sexual abuse policy carefully review the new guidelines and then make a recommendation to its Bishop-elect, Roger J. Foys, who will not be installed until July 15.

        “We will be looking very diligently to incorporate the various recommendations,” said Father Robert Wehage, interim administrator of the archdiocese. “We will act promptly and swiftly in accord with the directives we expect to be forthcoming from the U.S. Catholic Bishops office.”

        Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People states that any priest who molests a child even once would be barred from public ministry. However, the abuser would be allowed to remain in the priesthood. The policy, adopted by the Catholic bishops last week, needs Vatican approval to become binding.

        The Rev. Joseph Stoltz, who was accused of sexually abusing a minor in the 1970s in Louisville, was relieved of any sacramental or pastoral ministry on Monday.

STORY ARCHIVE

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        In Owensboro, Bishop John McRaith said the new policy could lead to the dismissal of two or three of the western Kentucky diocese's active priests.

        Bishop-elect Foys, who comes to Covington after a long tenure in the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, attended the Dallas meeting and voted on the measure.

        The Bishop of Lexington, J. Kendrick Williams, resigned before the meeting, after charges were made in lawsuits filed against him and the dioceses of Covington and Lexington.

        Bishop Williams served as an auxiliary bishop in Covington for four years before becoming the founding bishop of the Lexington Diocese in 1988.

        He has asserted his innocence against allegations made in suits by a former Lexington altar boy and a Louisville man.

        More than 120 lawsuits have been filed against Roman Catholic dioceses in Kentucky, the most in any state. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati announced after the Dallas conference that it would review its policy and personnel to determine if any priests would be affected by the new policy draft.
        The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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