Memos read during priest abuse trial indicate a parish was misled about Avery’s leave

Prosecutors in Philadelphia are showing jurors memos to try to prove the Philadelphia archdiocese covered up complaints that priests were molesting children.

Monsignor William Lynn is the first Roman Catholic church supervisor in the U.S. charged with endangering children by keeping accused priests in ministry.

Letters read in court Tuesday show Lynn telling a parish that accused pastor Edward Avery was on a “health leave” in 1993, when Avery was undergoing sex-therapy treatment at a Catholic hospital.

 

The letters also reveal a church policy not to act on complaints unless a priest was diagnosed as a pedophile.

Avery pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old altar boy in 1999.

The Rev. James Brennan is on trial with Lynn, charged with trying to rape a 14-year-old boy in 1996.