Pittsburgh Priest Suspended

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has suspended a priest after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor 40 years ago. Reverend Alvin Adams has been placed on administrative leave and suspended from his duties as chaplain at Bishop Canevin High School and pastor at Ascension parish in Ingram. A statement from SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, claims the diocese is trying to "minimize" the incident by saying its "one allegation" and "40 years ago." SNAP also claimed that the alleged victim's report was not immediately given to law enforcement.
Father Ron Lengwin, spokesman for the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese, says they received the allegation at the beginning of the week, suspended Adams the next day and yesterday took the allegation to the District Attorney's Office. Lengwin denied the diocese is minimizing the allegation. He says the diocese meets with the alleged victim and offers pastoral care no matter if the alleged incident happened "yesterday or many years ago." Pennsylvania's statute of limitations for civil suits is 12 years after the victim turns 18. In November, 2006 Governor Ed Rendell signed into a law a bill that extended the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse by 25 years...to the victim's 50th birthday.
Father Lengwin says they found the allegation to be credible and will soon convene a Review Board which will investigate and then make a recommendation to Bishop David Zubik who will make the final decision. Lengwin says the Review Board is comprised of professionals, a couple of members of the clergy and a parent of an abuse victim.