STOCKTON, CA - ADiocese of Stocktonpriest recently found guilty of three counts of child molestation and under investigation for a separate alleged similarcrime has gone back toIreland.
Father Michael Kelly, whoserved at St. Joachim's Catholic Church in Lockeford, was found liablein a civil trial on April 6 of three counts of child sex abuse involving a former altar boy at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton in the mid-1980s.
With the judgment, Kelly, who had continued to serve at St. Joachim Catholic Parish in Lockeford, was removed from his duties by StocktonBishop Stephen E. Blaire.
Anttorney Rebecca Rhoads, who represents the now 37year old altar boy Kelly was found to have molested said she is not sure how the second half of the civil trial will proceed.
"The jury in this case returned a verdict against Father Kelly on all claims, essentially finding that Father Kelly viciously sexually abused my client," said Rhoads, adding, "he's just running away."
In a separate case,Kelly has been undera criminalinvestigation since last September on allegations he molested an altar boy at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in San Andreas in the early 2000s.
Rhoads, who is not connected to the San Andreas case, said Kelly was aware of that investigation.
"He understood quite clearly that Calaveras County was investigating him very seriously. He could and would most likely face criminal charges," Rhoads said.
Parishoners at Father Kelly's former church in Lockeford have strongly supported him.
"And we feel that he was innocent and we are just very saddened and disappointed," said parishoner Janet Bange.
Blaire said he received a letter Monday afternoon fromKelly informing him he was in Ireland. Kelly, who maintains his innocence,said the strain he was under was destroying his health and he needed to bewith family. He is from Ireland.
Blaire said he has tried to reach Kelly to urge him to return.
Carlos Chavez, a member of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said he questions whether Father Kelly will ever be brought back to face justice in California.
"The Catholic Church is one of the most powerful institutions in history, yet when it comes to trying to find their pedophile priests that fled, it usually says its hands are tied."
