Criticizes Charges Made Against Late Bishop
October 22, 2002

            Bishop Thomas V. Daily has expressed his outrage over a lawyer’s reported statement that a homosexual orientation caused the late Bishop Francis J. Mugavero to ignore clergy sexual abuse complaints.

            “Does a person not have a right to his reputation even in death?” declared Bishop Daily. “The allegation made against Bishop Mugavero is outrageous, as is the contention that he did not handle sex abuse charges appropriately.”

            The Bishop was reacting to a statement attributed to lawyer Michael Dowd that appeared in the New York Daily News Oct. 16. It was contained in a news article announcing Mr. Dowd’s lawsuit against the Diocese of Brooklyn on behalf of persons he said were abused by priests over a period of 50 years.

            “Bishop Mugavero was known as the Bishop of Charity for his lifelong pursuit of the Gospel-mandated goal of helping people in need---spiritually, materially and morally---and he did so without regard to a person’s religious affiliation, ethnic background, skin color, economic status, social standing, educational level, or orientation,” Bishop Daily asserted.

            The diocesan spokesman, Frank DeRosa, discredited the lawyer’s statement, telling the Daily News, “I’m sure it’s not true.” He said he also told the reporter that in making the charge, “Mr. Dowd has sunk to a new low.” The latter comment did not appear in the newspaper article.

            The lawyer also asserted that the Diocese of Brooklyn maintained a secret bank account called the Good Shepherd Fund, which he said bought victims’ silence.

            The Good Shepherd Fund, in existence for decades but given that name in recent years, assists priests who encounter specific needs, such as counseling or extraordinary medical bills that insurance does not cover.  It is funded by the parishes and agencies of the Diocese.

Attorneys for the Diocese have begun reviewing the lawsuit in preparation for issuing a response.