Document text
Accused priest ended career at Sacred Heart McLeod at Medford parish from '49 to '69 By MELISSA MARTIN A priest accused of sexually abusing an altar boy who is now 74 years old finished his career at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Medford. A Portland taxi driver last week filed a $4 million lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Portland, alleging the Rev. William McLeod sexually abused him between the ages of 11 and 14 (1938 to 1941) when McLeod was a priest at All Saints Parish in Portland. McLeod served at Sacred Heart Church in Medford from 1949 until his death in 1969, according to a March 25, 1969, Mail Tribune story. "What we know about child abusers in general and particularly clergy pedophiles is that they almost never have just one victim," said Kelly Clark, a Portland attorney. He's worked with about a dozen Portland cases over the past six years involving sex abuse allegations against Oregon priests. In a prepared statement, Bud Bunce, communications director with the Archdiocese of Portland, wrote: "At this point, the Archdiocese has no information indicating that Father McLeod was ever involved in any harmful activity with anyone. "Dealing with a lawsuit involving things which allegedly happened 60 years ago in the 1940s and when the priest who allegedly was involved died over 30 years ago presents great challenges to the legal system as well as to the Archdiocese. "Archbishop (John) Vlazny has encouraged those who believe they were injured by Archdiocesan personnel to come to us and we will do our best to promote their healing." The taxi driver and his attorney did that about two months ago, Clark said. They asked for a settlement, for counseling and for reconciliation for the man who left the church at age 17. "In any church where there is an abuse allegation, even an old abuse allegation, they need to put the victim first," Clark said. "They need to ask, 'What can we do?' " Reach reporter Melissa Martin at 776-4497, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.