A8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 5, 2002 Priest still suspended | as probe continues By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN IP COULD be months be- fore American prosecutors are through investigating allegations of past sexual abuse by several Roman Catholic priests, including former Terrace priest Fa- ther Joseph J. Lang. Lang was put on admin- istralive jeave from his past at Sacred Heart Par- ish in Terrace April 8, The suspension came after prosecutors in Cleve- land issued a: subpoena April 5 to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland de- manding it forward records relating to any allegations of sexual abuse. The Diocese of Cleve- land has fully cooperated by handing over those do- cuments, said Cleveland praseculor’s office official Kim Kowalski. The Cleveland Diocese quickly suspended nine priests, including Father Lang, pending the results Father Joseph Lang of the investigation. Names of at least 12 former or retired priests were also forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. Kowalsk! said it’s too soon to determine the ont- come of the investigation. “We have lots of te- viewing to do,” she said of the documents. In Lang’s case, an alle- gation was made in the mid-80s against him, said Bishop Gerald Wiesner of the Prince George Diocese which takes in the north- west. He said Lang received treatment and was evalua- ted before returning to his duties. Shortly after his treat- ment, Lang was quietly transferred in 1988 to a post in Prince George fol- lowed by Fort St. John and finally Terrace, Members of the congre- gation here continue to support Father Lang saying the allegation doen’t mean the well-liked priest is guilty. No charges were ever laid against him. “There’s been no nega- tivity around the parish at all,” said Pauline Mole- denhauer, pastoral assis- tant at the loacal church. “He was very well liked and well respected, which is even more important I think.” Lang has kept in touch with people at the church, she said. “He's doing okay, I mean it’s very rough going,” she said of his re- sponse to the situation. To fill the void left by Lang’s suspension, Sacred Heart has a new interim priest taking over duties at the church. _.®MedicAlert - SPEAK'S FOR YOU, 1-300-668-1507 - “www.medicalert.ca EPILEPSY + EPILEPSY + EPILEPSY. A website that ts well linked and brand new. fm BC EPILEPSY INFO LINE VEGG-EPILEPSY = (1-866-374-5377) Father Larry MacLen- nan of the Order of Oblate of Mary Immaculate step- ped into Lang's position here two weeks after his suspension, Moldenhauer said Mac- Lennan will be here inter- mittently until the end of priest in place. currently under tion. November when the parish hopes to have a permanent Officials at the Cathalic Diocese of Cleveland said they could’ not comment on the case because it is