A priest accused of molesting minors who has been on leave since 2011 has been ruled suitable to return to ministry, Archbishop Charles Chaput, leader of Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese, announced Sunday.
The case of Monsignor Joseph Logrip, who had worked in Frankford’s Mater Dolorosa parish in the 1990s, was the last remaining case of priests placed on administrative leave following the February 2011 Grand Jury Report on sexual abuse of minors by the city’s Catholic clergy, according to a statement released by the archdiocese June 8.
While on administrative leave, priests are not permitted to exercise their public ministry, administer any of the sacraments, or present themselves publicly as priests.
The archbishop decided the allegations that Logrip, 67, sexually abused minors more than 20 years ago are unsubstantiated.
Specifics of those charges were not detailed.
The Logrip announcement immediately was criticized by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
“Another alleged predator priest — accused of both molesting kids and ignoring the molestation of a kid — is being put back on the job with no explanation whatsoever,” Clohessy wrote in an email distributed to media outlets.
Not only did Logrip face allegations he molested minors, Clohessy stated, but, citing a 2011 Philadelphia Inquirer article, said Logrip also was accused of knowing about another priest’s sexual abuse of a minor, and did nothing.
Monsignor Logrip’s case was submitted to law-enforcement authorities before the church began its investigation, according to the archdiocese, but Logrip was not charged. He was then investigated by the archdiocesan Multi-Disciplinary Team and the Archdiocesan Office of Investigations.
“The results of this process were submitted to the Archdiocesan Professional Responsibility Review Board. The APRRB is comprised of twelve men and women, both Catholic and non-Catholic, with extensive professional backgrounds in the investigation and treatment of child sexual abuse. It functions as a confidential advisory committee to the Archbishop, which assesses allegations of sexual abuse as well as allegations of violations of The Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries. This body provided a recommendation as to suitability for ministry to the Archbishop, who made the final decision,” according to the archdiocese.
In 2012 and 2013, Chaput announced resolutions of the cases of 25 priests put on leave. Ten were found suitable for ministry; 14 others were found unsuitable. One priest died before an investigation was complete.
Logrip was ordained in 1972. During his career, he served in several parishes and schools in and around Philadelphia. He was at Mater Dolorosa from 1994 to 2000.
The parish closed last year. ••
