CONVERSE, Texas – A priest has been removed from St. Monica’s Church in Converse following allegations of sexual abuse of a kid, in accordance to San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller.
A letter written via García-Siller was once learn to the congregation throughout a mass provider on Sunday at St. Monica’s Church, which was once additionally livestreamed on Facebook, to announce the allegations towards Father Alejandro Ortega and his removing.
“It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I inform you of substantiated allegations of sexually inappropriate physical contact with a minor by Father Alejandro Ortega. The child reported this inappropriate contact during a teen ACTS retreat,” García-Siller mentioned within the letter. “The parish notified the parents of the teen and reported the matter to the archdiocese, who also informed the Bexar County District Attorney’s Special Crimes Division of the allegation.”
Based at the record and the Archdiocesan Review Board’s suggestions, García-Siller mentioned he opened a initial canonical investigation and requested Ortega to “refrain from ministry.”
An impartial personal investigator additionally assisted within the investigation.
García-Siller mentioned there was once “sufficient evidence” of the sexual abuse allegations and the evaluation board determined that Ortega may pose dangers to different minors and must now not be returned to the ministry.
“Because of this, I have removed Father Ortega’s faculties and have prohibited him from exercising any priestly ministry and from using clerical clothes or clerical titles during the course of the canonical process,” the letter reads.
García-Siller counseled the kid for coming ahead in regards to the abuse.
Anyone else who has been a sufferer of sexual abuse throughout the Archdiocese is recommended to touch the police and the Office for Victim Assistance and Safe Environment at 210-734-7786.
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