6 years after child porn found on computer, priest resumes ministry
May 13, 2010
Six years after a half dozen photographs of naked boys and male teenagers were found on his parish computer, Father Darrell Mitchell will resume ministry in the Diocese of Yakima (Washington). Following FBI and police investigations, no charges were filed.
Father Mitchell said in a May 7 letter to his bishop that he had been “admitted to a program of intensive outpatient therapy where I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. The therapy helped me to understand the motivations which caused my destructive behavior and has given me the tools to live out my priesthood in a faithful manner.”
Bishop Carlos Sevilla will permit Father Mitchell to hold a chancery office position; the priest will not minister to children.
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Posted by: -
May. 13, 2010 10:32 AM ET USA
Some conditions can only be controlled, not necessarily eliminated. We also have to consider what he does in his free time,even though he may not be dealing in ministering to children.
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Posted by: -
May. 13, 2010 9:14 AM ET USA
Haven't we been here before? So a shrink has cured him, eh? Pardon me for being skeptical. I thought the Bishops had all been enlightened, as per Bishop Gregory.
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Posted by: Chatholic -
May. 13, 2010 8:00 AM ET USA
Let me see if I got this. He was caught with gay porn on his computer. Check. If you know the psych industry, you know that the main trigger that gets insurance to pay for treatment is "depression." So he's admitted to a program. Check. His "destructive behavior" was homosexual in nature, but the therapy helped him understand his motivations. Now he has "tools" to be "faithful." Hooray, outpatient therapy cures homosexuality!
