SPOKANE – A woman has filed a claim that she was sexually abused more than 40 years ago by Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops and leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane.
Skylstad issued a statement Wednesday categorically denying the accusation, saying he has never violated the vow of celibacy he took 47 years ago.
The claim was filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane on Dec. 27 by a woman who said she was under the age of 18 when Skylstad sexually abused her at St. Patrick’s Parish and at Gonzaga University from December 1961 to December 1964.
Skylstad was a student at Gonzaga University from 1962-66 and taught students at Mater Cleri Seminary in Colbert, north of Spokane.
The diocese is one of three in the nation that filed for bankruptcy protection to deal with claims of sexual abuse by clergy. Skylstad in February offered to settle with 75 victims for $45.7 million.
The woman’s claim was filed as a result of the bankruptcy “proof of claims” process, the diocese said.
Stephen Rubino, a lawyer with experience in clergy abuse cases who was hired by the woman’s legal team, said he knows very little about the filing but was asked to verify her claim. He said a bankruptcy court’s confidentiality order limits what he can say about the claim.
“We have a minimum three months of work before any conclusions can be made regarding anything. I just started last week,” Rubino said from Philadelphia. “This is complicated by the fact that she is overseas. It is complicated by records that are 45 years old and scattered across the country. And it is complicated by the emotional issues this woman is facing. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Victims of clergy sexual abuse have until Friday to file claims. Greg Arpin, an attorney representing the diocese, said there were a total of 135 claims as of Wednesday morning, including the original 75 who would be covered by the settlement.
It is unclear under the reforms American bishops adopted in 2002 for responding to abuse claims whether Skylstad should temporarily step down while his case is being investigated.
The policy requires Catholic officials to determine whether there is “sufficient evidence” supporting the allegations against a cleric before they take him out of public ministry while a full review is conducted under Vatican oversight.
David Clohessy, national director for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said the allegation should be taken seriously despite Skylstad’s denial.
“I think, given the horrific history, virtually every allegation should be treated seriously and investigated promptly,” he said from St. Louis, Mo. “Even church officials acknowledge that very few of them (claims) prove to be false. Certainly, anything is possible.”
Skylstad, 70, has been bishop of the Spokane diocese of Eastern Washington – comprised of about 90,000 members in 82 parishes – since 1990.
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