Tonight a well known Catholic Priest in Belize is under a cloud of suspicion for child abuse. Last week Wednesday, Father Oliver Smalls was named in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond Virginia as one of 42 priests who faced "credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors."
Belize's Bishop Lawrence Nicascio has acted quickly to remove Father Smalls from Ministry. A statement form the Chancery Office says Smalls will no longer serve in public ministry in this Diocese.
The statement notes that the determination of credible allegations was made in Virginia and the Bishop is duty bound to now refer his case to the Vatican.
The statement says an investigation of this case will continue in Belize and adds, "I ask your prayers for the victims of sexual abuse in Belize and in our world and for the healing of all involved.
And while that is what the Bishop's Chancery Office had to say, Father Smalls issued a statement through his attorney, Leeroy Banner. IT says that there is a single allegation of sexual abuse of a minor in Virginia in 1970, almost 5-0 years ago. The statement adds that Father Smalls took and passed a polygraph test in relation to that accusation.
Banner's latter adds "the Catholic church in Belize is aware that the allegations remain unproved and have made no efforts to make any assertion otherwise. Our client expresses great disappointment in the press release from Bishop Nicasio" end quote.
Banner adds, he "hope(s) that immediate steps be taken to rectify and retract the press release which has called our client's reputation into question..a formal demand letter was addressed to Bishop Nicascio on 15th February demanding that the Church refrain from issuing baseless publications," end quote.
And while his attorney is standing up - Smalls now becomes the first name mentioned in Belize in relation to a global scandal of pedophilia in the Catholic church.
An internal memo in the church has urged those with complaints against Smalls to call the Chancery office at 227-2122.
