[eric.hanke]

Bishop of Gary
DIOCESE OF GARY
9292 BROADWAY
MERRILLVILLE , IN 46410-7088
219-769-9292
FAX : 219-769-2066

Dear Parishioners of Queen of All Saints Parish:
April 16, 2010

It is my very sad and difficult responsibility to share with you the very serious and disappointing news that I have placed your pastor, Father Terrence Chase, on administrative leave, effective Thursday, April 15, 2010.

A few weeks ago, a person stepped forward with an allegation of sexual misconduct by Father Chase some 19 years ago. The alleged sexual misconduct with a minor took place in approximately 1991 while Father Terrence Chase was pastoral associate at St. Patrick Parish in Chesterton. It was important for us to follow the Policy of the Diocese of Gary: "Sexual Misconduct Toward Minors and Others at Risk." The law enforcement agency was notified and the Bishop's Delegate for Sexual Misconduct called together the Diocesan Response Team to investigate the allegation to try to determine whether it appears to be credible. I was informed earlier this week that the members of the Response Team have concluded that the allegation does not appear to be manifestly frivolous and appears to have merit.

Even though Father Chase denies the allegation, and the Response Team's conclusion is not a finding of guilt, our policies require me to place Father Chase on administrative leave. In accordance with our policy, I have asked Father Chase, and he has agreed, to undergo a complete psychological and medical assessment.

What happens from here? I have asked Father Kevin Huber to serve as administrator of Queen of All Saints Parish. I expect that he will move into the parish next Tuesday, April 20th. While there are some instances where he has prior commitments, he will generally be available to serve your needs beginning next Tuesday. At the same time, at least for now, he will continue with his responsibilities as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Gary.
Regarding Father Chase, our policies and the policies of the Church Universal require me to submit all of the facts of this case to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican. In due time, they will inform me on how to proceed in this matter. In the meantime, Father Chase is not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to administer the Sacraments; is not to reside in any residence in which a minor lives or is present; and is not to wear clerical garb or to present himself publicly as a priest.
I expect that all of you are deeply troubled and saddened by this matter. Some of you may be angry and even scandalized. I am willing to meet with anyone who has further questions in Queen of All Saints Church following the last Mass on this Sunday, April 18th. I will be coming from the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation and expect to be at the church by 12:45 p.m.

I beg you to keep Father Chase, the alleged victim, the people of Queen of All Saints Parish, our wonderful priests and seminarians, and all of the people of the diocese in your prayers.

DJM/vm
Sincerely yours in the Risen Lord,
Most Reverend Dale J. Melczek
Bishop of Gary
.-
Statement From Terrence R. Chase:
I can assure you that the allegations accusing me of inappropriate behavior are simply not true. I do not know why these destructive accusations were leveled against me. Regardless, the process the Diocese has in place for investigating the allegations has progressed to the point where I have been placed on administrative leave from my responsibilities. I have cooperated with the process and plan to continue participating in the process in order to bring this inquiry to its appropriate resolution. Meanwhile, to the many friends, family, parishioners and others who are part of my life, you will be in my prayers and I trust that in turn, you will keep me in your prayers.


Terrence R Chase
April 15, 2010

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...bb044318052.txt

Priest accused of sexual abuse

Terrence Chase
Father Chase on administrative leave from parish
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Monday, April 19, 2010 4:13 AM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Facing an allegation of sexual abuse from 19 years ago, Father Terrence Chase of Queen of All Saints Catholic Church has been placed on administrative leave.

Parishioners were first made aware of an investigation into the incident this weekend, although it was reported to Bishop Dale Melczek and Chesterton police nearly a month ago, officials said.

“The parishioners of Queens are hurt over this. There is disbelief and shock that this could happen,” said church Deacon Mark Plaiss, who also is the communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Gary. “They were blindsided.”

The alleged sexual misconduct took place in 1991 while Father Chase was a pastoral associate at St. Patrick Church in Chesterton, Plaiss said. On Thursday, the day Father Chase was officially placed on leave, he issued a statement maintaining his innocence, saying the allegations are “simply not true.”

“I do not know why these accusations were leveled against me,” Father Chase wrote. “Regardless, the process the Diocese has in place for investigating the allegations has progressed to the point where I have been placed on administrative leave from my responsibilities. I have cooperated with the process and plan to continue participating in the process in order to bring this inquiry to its appropriate resolution. Meanwhile, to the many friends, family, parishioners and others who are part of my life, you will be in my prayers and I trust that in turn, you will keep me in your prayers.”

A letter from Melczek and the statement from Father Chase were stapled into parishioners’ church bulletins beginning Saturday night to explain what has happened, Plaiss said. The bishop also met with about 150 parishioners Sunday afternoon at Queen of All Saints to answer their questions.

The incident was reported to the bishop two weeks before Easter, he said, and a response team made up of two priests and eight Catholic church members within the Diocese was convened to investigate whether the allegation was credible. After several interviews with both the alleged victim and Father Chase, they determined the allegation appeared to have merit and reported that finding to the bishop April 12.

“That does not mean he is guilty or innocent — just that it’s not a frivolous claim,” Plaiss said, adding the Diocese worked as quickly as possible to investigate the claim.

“The gears were put into motion instantly when the report was made,” he said.

The sex and age of the reported victim are not known to anyone except the response team and Melczek, Plaiss said.

Father Chase had been on vacation since Easter and returned long enough to move out of the Queen of All Saints rectory before his administrative leave started, Plaiss said. He is not in the Midwest as of now, although Plaiss said he didn’t know where Father Chase is staying. He is not being paid a salary while on leave, although the Diocese will give him unspecified means of support, similar to that of a retired priest, Plaiss said.

While on leave, Father Chase is not allowed to celebrate Mass publicly or administer the Sacraments, is not to reside anywhere in which a minor lives or is present and is not allowed to wear clerical garb or present himself publicly as a priest. He also has been asked to undergo a psychological and medical assessment.

The Catholic Church’s policies require all evidence and testimony in sex-abuse cases to be forwarded to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican in Rome. The Congregation investigates sex-abuse cases involving priests and other matters regarding Catholic doctrine worldwide.

“It will take a long time for them to come to a conclusion. I have no way of guessing how long it will take, but I know it won’t be in the next two months,” Plaiss said. “The Congregation has a lot on their plate.”

Father Kevin Huber, the Diocese of Gary’s vocations director, will serve as temporary administrator of Queen of All Saints until this issue is resolved. He will move into the rectory here Tuesday.

No criminal or civil charges have been filed against Father Chase at this time, Plaiss said, and no similar allegations were made against him in the past. He was ordained as a priest in the Diocese 26 years ago and has been at Queen of All Saints since July 1, 2003. He also served at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Merrillville.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...2e310199321.txt

Police never opened inquiry on priest

Victim refused to identify him- or herself
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 4:14 AM CDT
CHESTERTON — Although an allegation of sexual abuse against Father Terrance Chase of Queen of All Saints Catholic Church in Michigan City was reportedly given to police nearly a month ago, they never opened an investigation into the case.

“I can find no record of a report here,” said Chesterton Police Chief Dave Cincoski. “We had no knowledge of this case until we read it in the papers this morning.”

The alleged sexual misconduct with a minor took place in 1991 while Father Chase was a pastoral associate at St. Patrick Church in Chesterton, said Deacon Mark Plaiss, director of communications for the Diocese. On Thursday, Father Chase was placed on administrative leave, which will last until the allegations are brought before a group at the Vatican in Rome.

Kelly Venegas, the bishop’s delegate for sexual misconduct, called Chesterton police within one week of receiving the complaint, Plaiss said. The “officer on duty,” as the officer was identified to Venegas, told her “there was nothing they could do” unless the victim identified him or herself, or she identified the victim — something she couldn’t do, Plaiss said.

“We are bound to confidentiality in these cases,” Plaiss said. “That person has refused to identify themselves to law enforcement, so we couldn’t make a report for them.”

As a result, no criminal charges would be forthcoming even if the allegations were true. Cincoski did not return a follow-up message for comment Monday.

Any case in which the victim is not identified, especially a case that is as old as this one, present unique challenges to law enforcement, said Michigan City Assistant Police Chief John Kintzele.

“Depending on the offense, there are statutory regulations you cannot satisfy without a definitive victim,” he said.

Applicable sections of Indiana Code regarding sex offenses with a minor rely heavily on the age of the victim at the time of the offense, as well as the person’s relationship with the victim. Indiana case law has established a victim’s right to report sexual abuse that happened more than two years before the date of the report if they meet several requirements, including showing their parents did not know of the conduct and providing expert opinion and evidence their memories of the event(s) were repressed. All require a victim to be identified before these facts can be proven.

“When you have a high-profile case like this, it polarizes the community,” Kintzele said. “The quality of the evidence you are able to obtain and the search for the truth are all that more important.”

No allegations had ever been made before against Father Chase during his 26 years as an ordained priest, Plaiss said.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...6a578603354.txt

Priest not arrested; wrong to name him

Published: Friday, April 23, 2010 4:14 AM CDT
I do not believe the newspaper should have published this. Father Terry Chase was not arrested nor has he been convicted of any crime. I do think The News-Dispatch was wrong.

Father Terry is a very nice man and a wonderful priest. Those of you who don’t know him, he is kind, gentle, very smart and very capable of being a good person. Whoever has had the chance to listen to him in the church during a Sunday mass, you know what I mean. And those of you who haven’t, you have been missing something very special.

Father Terry is a man you have to get to know. I trust him and so do my husband and my son. Father Terry is a wonderful human being and this should not have been published in the paper to be spread all over the county. How would you the like to have this done to you and have your name plastered all over the paper? Just ask yourself that question.

Mary Zahrndt

Michigan City

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.post-trib.com/news/2262362,new-gabuse0512.article

Florida man suing Gary Diocese over abuse claim
Comments

May 12, 2010
BY CHRISTIN NANCE LAZERUS, (219) 648-3086

A Florida man is filing suit against the Catholic Diocese of Gary and the Rev. Richard Emerson, who he claims abused him at an East Chicago church when he was a teen.

The abuse occurred in the late 1980s and 1990s, when the boy was 13, at Assumption Catholic Church, which is now shuttered.

The Diocese of Orlando also is party to the suit.

The man joins a Hobart teen and two other men as alleged victims of Emerson. Victims have alleged that Emerson fondled them sexually and watched pornographic videos with them.

Diocese of Gary officials began an internal investigation of Emerson in 2004, when civil lawsuits were first filed against him in Florida.

He was allowed to continue his pastoral duties, but when the allegations were termed "credible," he was suspended.

Emerson requested to be stripped of the priesthood in 2006 and relocated to Las Vegas and may have moved to Georgia. His final assignment was at the Notre Dame parish in Michigan City.