PEI priest suspended
By Catholic Register Staff
An allegation of abuse in Newfoundland has triggered the immediate suspension of a priest in Prince Edward Island.P.E.I. Bishop Richard Grecco suspended Fr. George Smith from pastoral duties at St. Malachy’s Church in Kinkora, P.E.I. within 24 hours of learning of the allegation against Smith in the diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador.
“The procedure is quite clear. As soon as an allegation is made, we have to move this person from his work,” Grecco told the CBC.
“We have one gentleman who has made an allegation about one incident, an incident of inappropriate touching,” said Cornerbrook and Labrador’s Bishop Doug Crosby.
Smith was a priest in Deer Lake, Newfoundland from 1986 to 1991. He has been in P.E.I. since 1994.
Crosby has initiated an investigation. The diocese did not contact police, but may yet do so depending on the diocesan investigation.
“He’s an older person, and if he wanted to do the police thing he could do it,” said Crosby.
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