PRESS RELEASE – June 2020

PRESS RELEASE – June 2020

Since the Release of the names of priests accused of sexual abuse of minors in January of 2019 the Diocese of Santa Rosa has pledged greater transparency in regard to the perpetrators of these crimes. The Diocese was informed by way of a letter dated June 10 (arrived June 17) that an accusation against Reverend Jerome Stack, a member of the Precious Blood Fathers, a Religious Community which operated Cardinal Newman High School from 1971 through 1981, was found credible by the Community’s Review Board. Thus, the Diocese has added the name of Jerome Stack to the list of the accused who served in the Diocese.

The Diocese reiterates that it continues to reach out and respond to victims who come forward. As we noted in January, “My primary goal in releasing the names of accused priests and deacons who served in Santa Rosa in this public fashion is to give to all the victims of clerical sexual abuse the assurance that they have been heard and that the Church is very much concerned for their well-being and healing. It is my deepest prayer and hope that this release of names in a consolidated fashion says to any of you who are victims, we have heard you, we believe you, we affirm you in your trauma and we want to help with a healing process.”

ADDED TO THE LIST IN JUNE 2020:

Jerome Stack              Religious Order Priest (Precious Blood Fathers)

                                    Accusation made to Religious Superior in Ohio in 2019 for 1979 abuse

                                    The Religious Community reports that they notified civil authorities in 2019

                                    Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa from 1971 to 1981

                                    Removed from active ministry in 2019

                                    Notice received from Religious Superior on June 10, 2020

Letter from Religious Community

Bishop Vasa Statement of December 30th 2019 on Clergy Abuse:

      In January of 2019, I wrote: “In the name of the Church, I want, first of all to express my sincere sorrow that so many have been subjected to the evil actions of deacons, priests and bishops. Thus, I apologize again, especially to any who have been subjected to injury at the hands of the clergy named below.” I then proceeded to list the names of more than 40 members of the clergy who had been accused over the past 50 years. At the same time, I detailed some of the very real steps the Church has taken in recent years in order to very proactively prevent any such abuse in the future. As I noted last year: “Those actions, as I reflect upon them, are significant in terms of the present and future protection of children. However, they do not touch the very real trauma which the evil actions of priests and bishops have caused in the lives of thousands of young people in our nation. I believe that something more is required.”

I noted then and I reiterate today that: “My primary goal in releasing the names of accused priests and deacons who served in Santa Rosa in this public fashion is to give to all the victims of clerical sexual abuse the assurance that they have been heard and that the Church is very much concerned for their well-being and healing. It is my deepest prayer and hope that this release of names in a consolidated fashion says to any of you who are victims, we have heard you, we believe you, we affirm you in your trauma and we want to help with a healing process.”

            We now enter into another period when serious harm done in the past by members of the Church clergy must be faced and responded to. We had anticipated lawsuits but there is no way to prepare for such an event other than to pray for the courage to meet the accusations with the same sober determination with which we released names of accused perpetrators last year. I have absolutely no control over the number of lawsuits or the value of the claims. All I can do, and what I intend to do, is remain firm in my resolve to help assure that, even in the face of lawsuits, we can continue to say to those who have been so seriously harmed: We have heard you, we believe you, we affirm you in your trauma and we want to help with a healing process. 

 Bishop Robert Vasa, Bishop of Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese