Holmes
Charlotte – The Catholic Diocese of Charlotte has published a list of 14 clergy who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse in western North Carolina since the diocese was established in 1972, including a deceased priest who formerly served in Cherokee and Clay counties.
The list is the result of a year-long process that included a comprehensive, independent review of more than 1,600 files dating back almost 50 years to ensure a full accounting of credibly accused clergy in the diocese’s history. The file review confirmed that no clergy member serving in the Charlotte diocese today has a credible allegation of sexual abuse against him.
Records also show that all 14 clergy named on the list were long ago removed from ministry or died before allegations arose. Most of their names also were made known publicly years ago by the diocese and others.
The accused priest with local connections is Adelbert “Del” Holmes, who was ordained in 1963. He served with St.
William Catholic Church in Murphy
as well as Immaculate Conception Catholic Mission in Hayesville, according to the diocese’s new website, www.accountability.charlottediocese.org.
In October 2019, Holmes was publicly named on the Ohio-based Glenmary Home Missioners’ list of clergy credibly accused of abuse of a minor. The Diocese of Charlotte had no record of abuse allegations against Holmes, but sought more information since the Glenmary society had twice assigned Holmes to work in western North Carolina in the mid-1960s and mid-1970s.
In November 2019, the society told the diocese Holmes had been accused of abusing three minors in 1976 in Murphy, where he served at St. William. The society also said another credible allegation stemmed from Holmes’ subsequent assignment in Franklin, Ky.
Glenmary said it received the North Carolina allegations in 1988, when Holmes was living at the society’s headquarters in Cincinnati, and Holmes admitted the abuse. According to the society, he was sent for treatment in 1988 and removed from ministry in 1991. Holmes died in 2013.
In October 2019, the Diocese of Richmond, Va., added Holmes to its list of clergy with credible allegations of abuse that occurred in the Richmond diocese.
‘Lack of notification’
District Attorney Ashley Welch said in a release Thursday that Holmes’ death prevents her from being able to prosecute him for the crimes he is alleged to have committed in 1976.
“There is no recorded documentation that the Catholic church notified local law enforcement nor the District Attorney’s Office of these allegations when the church was notified in 1988,” Welch said. “Unfortunately, the lack of notification by the Catholic church to law enforcement authorities during that time period is not surprising.”
She added that there is not a statute of limitations for felonies in North Carolina, so individuals are able to be prosecuted when there is probable cause even decades after the crime.
“If you have been a victim of child sexual abuse, wish to make a report and explore the possibility of prosecution, please contact your local law enforcement agency,” Welch said. “Last year, the District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a former Episcopal priest for crimes he committed on children in Waynesville over 20 years ago.
“If you have been a victim of child sexual abuse, we are committed to seeking justice for you.”
Another clergy member who previously worked in the 43rd Prosecutorial District, Al Behm, was credibly accused of child sexual offenses in Kentucky during the 1970s. Behm went on to serve as the first campus minister at Western Carolina University in the 1980s, but he has not been accused of committing crimes while in Cullowhee. According to the diocese, Behm left the ministry in 1993.
Protections helping
Reflecting national trends, the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte’s review found that instances of alleged abuse in the diocese peaked in the 1970s and dropped sharply in the 2000s as new protections were put in place by the church. In the last 20 years, only one credible case of abuse is alleged to have occurred in the diocese.
“It is painful to even try to comprehend such gravely immoral behavior,” Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis wrote in a letter published along with the list and other abuse information. “However, in speaking with survivors and hearing their stories, it is clear to me that making known the names of their abusers can promote healing for them and their families.
“This list is the culmination of a process begun more than a year ago in our belief that a full accounting of credibly accused clergy would provide validation for victims, and demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability.”
On Dec. 29, the bishop offered prayers for abuse survivors and told parishioners about conclusions of the diocese’s file review during Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral.
In addition to its list, the Charlotte diocese published information about credibly accused clergy who served in western North Carolina before the Charlotte diocese was established in 1972, when the Diocese of Raleigh oversaw the Catholic Church across the state. Also identified were clergy who served without documented incident in the Charlotte diocese but were accused of abuse or misconduct elsewhere on lists published by other dioceses and religious orders.