Diocese hurt by sex charges against former Victoria priest, bishop says

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08/08/2010

Allegations of sexual abuse against a Roman Catholic priest who spent six years working in Greater Victoria will likely have a painful ripple effect for local parishioners, Victoria's bishop said.

Father Philip Jacobs, a 60-year-old American priest, has been charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and sexual exploitation against three children under the age of 14.

"Any report of sexual abuse is harmful for all, and because the church is essentially a family, there are rippling effects throughout the community," said Bishop Richard Gagnon of the Catholic Diocese of Victoria, responding to the allegations made public Friday.

"Our whole diocese will feel a particular sadness and disappointment, particularly the last parish he was at [St. Joseph the Worker]." The alleged offences occurred between Sept. 1, 1996 and June 30, 2001, while Jacobs was a priest in the diocese of Victoria.

He came to Vancouver Island in 1996, serving at St. Rose of Lima in Sooke until 1998, when he became the parish priest at St. Joseph the Worker.

Jacobs resigned in 2002 after it was reported in the media that he was fired from a church in Columbus, Ohio, in the mid-1990s because of alleged misconduct.

Saanich police sparked an investigation in 2009 when complaints were made against Jacobs. A Canada-wide warrant for his arrest was issued and Jacobs was arrested Wednesday as he arrived at Victoria airport from San Francisco.

A letter from the diocese, addressing the charges, is expected to be read out in churches this morning.

Some parishioners who attended St. Joseph while Jacobs presided said he was a priest admired by many.

"He had a great impact on people and the parish flourished as a result," said Gordon Phillips, who has been attending the church since 2000.

Phillips said he doesn't think the allegations will cast a pall over the congregation.

"I'd say the majority of people are going to say, 'That was an unfortunate time and let's move on.' " The diocese tightened its screening process for priests, employees and volunteers in 2005.

Now, anyone working with children is subject to a criminal record check.

Jacobs was hired as a priest even though the diocese was aware of the Ohio allegations, something Gagnon said would not happen under the new standards.

Raymond Roussin, Victoria's bishop from 1999 to 2004, said two psychiatric assessments indicated Jacobs wasn't a risk -- one following his dismissal in Ohio and one by the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Roussin said the diocese had arranged for Jacobs to be monitored by two senior priests and two lay members of the church. Jacobs was also required to see a psychiatrist regularly and was not to be alone with individual children or small groups of youths.