During a news conference Friday, Owensboro Diocese Bishop William Medley addressed concerns from church members after hosting four listening sessions across the region in October following the permanent suspension of a priest accused of inappropriate conduct with minors.
One of the listening sessions was held at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Hopkinsville where Father Gerald Baker was a former pastor. Father Baker was permanently suspended from public ministry by the Owensboro Diocesan Review Board in September. The other listening sessions were held in Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah.
During the conference Friday, Bishop Medley told reporters the Owensboro Diocese is working to be more accountable and transparent. He says the diocese review board is taking into consideration whether they should publish a list of priests accused of sexual abuse. In addition, he addressed concerns by congregation members concerned with why some church leaders have not faced criminal charges. Bishop Medley noted some of the violations have not met the threshold of the criminal code. That was the case regarding the allegations made against Father Baker, according to Kentucky State Police. Post 16 Public Information Officer Corey King told the News Edge in October their investigation determined Father Baker’s inappropriate conduct did not meet the requirements of state law to warrant any charges being lodged against him.
Father Baker was first suspended by the Dioceses of Owensboro in May 2016 amid accusations of inappropriate conduct with minors. Kentucky State Police and the diocese launched an investigation into the allegations. On September 27, 2018, Bishop Medley sent out a news release that Father Baker had been permanently suspended from public ministry.
In October, the Owensboro Diocese released statistics regarding sexual abuse allegations against priests of the diocese and regarding individuals who have come forward and identified themselves as victims of child sexual abuse. Since 1937, the year the diocese was founded, there have been 366 priests who have served in the diocese in some capacity. Out of the 366 priests, the diocese has received a total of 66 allegations by 62 individuals against 27 priests. Eleven of the 27 priests were deceased at the time of the allegation.
Since 2002, Bishop Medley notes the diocese has only received four allegations of incidents and he believes this number shows the Charter has made strides toward protecting children and youth, and especially in terms of holding the bishops accountable.
