Abolish Child Sex Abuse Now!

School officials told about abuse, lawyer says

By ESTEBAN PARRA • The News Journal • August 7, 2008

Correspondence between an alleged sexual abuse victim and two priests released by lawyers Wednesday suggests religious officials knew years ago about allegations against a former Salesianum School teacher, who continued to work at other schools.

The letters contradict claims made earlier this week by officials of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, the religious order that operates the all-boys Catholic high school in Wilmington, that they were not aware of sex-abuse accusations lodged against the Rev. Dennis Killion, a member of the order, until a lawsuit was filed Monday in New Castle County Superior Court. The Oblates issued a press release that day saying they had placed Killion on administrative leave "after learning this morning about a lawsuit alleging abuse by the priest."

"The idea that they first knew there was a problem here was when we filed this lawsuit ... that is just categorically wrong," said Bartholomew J. Dalton, one of three lawyers representing the four men suing Killion. "We felt, based on the statements that were made by the Oblates, that we should release at least this part of the case to show that in fact they had knowledge."

The Rev. Kevin Nadolski, the Oblates' spokesman, said he stands by his earlier comments that they were not aware of any sexual abuse by Killion. He said the letters reflect the "pastoral style of the Oblates, especially when reaching out to listen to concerns about its members."

Nadolski also said the Oblates would respond "as soon as possible" to the issues raised in the correspondence.

The letters are between John M.S. Doe, one of the four men suing, and the Revs. James J. Greenfield and Joseph G. Morrissey, the current and former heads of the Oblates' Wilmington/Philadelphia Province.

Doe, who chose to sue anonymously because publicizing details of his abuse would compound his injuries, alleges Killion first assaulted him in 1985 when he was a freshman at Salesianum. According to the lawsuit, Killion took a scooper of ice, grabbed the boy's pants, pulled them away and said: "It would be cold if I dropped this down your pants, wouldn't it?"

According to the suit, Killion also shoved his hand down the boy's pants in another assault. Dalton said one of his four clients reported the allegations to school officials in 1986, the year Killion left Salesianum.

In May 2002, Doe had an interview with Oblates attorney Mark Reardon concerning Killion, who by that time was a faculty member at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia.

In one letter, dated Nov. 1, 2002, Morrissey thanked Doe for "the confidential, compassionate, and professional manner in which," he addressed his concerns about Killion.

Morrissey's letter went on to say that Killion reported to him and a counselor on a regular basis. Morrissey was also in contact with Killion's immediate superiors.

"Both of these men are aware of the concerns that have been raised concerning Fr. Killion," Morrissey said. "They have been instructed to contact me immediately if there appears to be any indication whatsoever of any type of inappropriate behavior on Fr. Killion's part. By all accounts, Fr. Killion's professional and personal integration with students has been beyond reproach, and he continues to do good work in his ministry."

Nadolski said a lot was being assumed from the letters. For example, he said, there are a lot of reasons for Killion to pursue counseling.

"The things we are seeing in the letter, from somebody who is not willing to stand by the letter that he has written, is something that we're struggling to defend because of the way in which it is not being supported by someone who is not willing to stand behind it."

Officials from the Catholic dioceses of Wilmington and Venice (Fla.), where Killion taught at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers until June, said they were unaware of the letters.

Bishop Verot's principal, the Rev. Chris Beretta, said he had not seen them. He also would not comment on if it would bother him to find out religious leaders had known of prior accusations and did not inform him before sending Killion to Fort Myers.

"I really don't have any reaction," he said. "I don't have any knowledge."

According to the suit, the abuse occurred between 1983 and 1986, when Killion was a teacher at Salesianum.

Two of the four victims reported their abuse, said John C. Manly, a California attorney representing the men. "They were told he was going to be transferred and to keep quiet."

Killion, who had been working as activities director at Bishop Verot, was recently assigned to St. Bede the Venerable Parish in Holland, Pa., as associate pastor. The parish, which also operates a school, announced Killion's assignment Sunday.

Cardinal Justin Rigali withdrew the assignment Monday, officials from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said.

On Wednesday, Archdiocese of Philadelphia officials said they had not seen the letters.

The lawsuit names Killion, Salesianum School and the Diocese of Wilmington as defendants.

There have now been at least 16 sex-abuse lawsuits filed against the Wilmington diocese since Delaware's Child Victim's Act became law in July 2007.

This story contains reporting from The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla.

Contact Esteban Parra 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.