Background
Below is the initial press release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany regarding Salvatore Rodino’s removal from ministry:
Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
40 North Main Avenue, Albany, NY 12203
Albany Diocese Removes Priest From Ministry
ALBANY — The Albany Roman Catholic Diocese has placed a priest on administrative leave after determining there were reasonable grounds to believe he sexually abused a minor about 27 years ago, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has announced.
Bishop Hubbard, acting on the recommendation of the Diocese’s Sexual Misconduct Review Board, placed the Rev. Salvatore (Sam) Rodino, 58 on administrative leave. He has been serving as pastor at St. Jude the Apostle in Wynantskill since 2005. As a result of this decision, he is not permitted to function publicly as a priest. He is barred from celebrating Mass or performing any other sacraments and from wearing clerical garb in public.
The Diocese received and investigated a complaint alleging that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a teenager in the 1980s at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Albany. Father Rodino denies inappropriate contact with any youth. He will avail himself of his canonical rights.
Rodino’s removal from ministry is being announced at weekend Masses at St. Jude’s and the other parishes where he served: St. Bonaventure in Speigletown, St. Pius X in Loudonville, and St. Margaret Mary’s in Albany. He also served at LaSalle Institute, Troy; Bishop Maginn High School, Albany; and St. Patrick’s Academy, Catskill. Prior to ordination he served as a lay faculty member at Catholic Central High School in Troy.
The Albany Diocese has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse of minors by clergy. No priest can remain in public ministry or can be transferred into, out of, or within the Albany Diocese if the Diocese has found reasonable grounds to believe he sexually abused a minor at any time. Since 1950, the Albany Diocese has removed 23 priests from ministry after finding reasonable grounds that they sexually abused minors.
The Albany Diocese urges anyone who as a child was sexually abused by a Catholic priest or deacon to report the matter to a law enforcement agency or to the Diocese. The Diocese investigates all allegations of sexual abuse by clergy. To report an incident of abuse or to seek help, please contact the Diocese’s assistance coordinator, Theresa F. Rodrigues, at (518) 453-6646 or by e-mail at assistance.coordinator@rcda.org.
The Albany Diocese Sexual Misconduct Review Board, which reviewed allegation against Rodino. It is comprised of six lay people and two clergy members. It investigates allegations of sexual misconduct by priests and makes recommendations to Bishop Hubbard on appropriate actions.
(Retrieved from the Albany Times Union, School’s Blog)
