SALINAS, Calif- There's a treatment facility in New Mexico which helps priest recover from different types of addictions and is infamous for treating sexually abusive priests. Father Edward Fitz-Henry, now accused of sexual abuse, spent time at the facility know as the Servants of the Paraclete in 1992. Right now he's on administrative leave from his work at San Juan Bautista Mission while facing allegations about abusing a now 21-year old man back in 2005.
Central Coast News asked the Diocese of Monterey how much it knows about Servants of the Paraclete and if Father Fitz-Henry was sent there for treatment almost 20 years ago.
Thomas Riordan with the Diocese of Monterey said he's "Not familiar with what they do and what happens there." Riordan said that in an institution as big as the Catholic Church there are programs for everything. Central Coast News asked if it included one for sexually abusive priests and he said "yes."
After making a few phone calls, Riordan confirmed that Father Fitz-Henry attended Servants of the Paraclete in 1992 for an incident that happened while Father Fitz-Henry was serving at the Carmel Mission. Riordan said that the incident was termed a non-sexual boundary issue. At this time it is unknown how long Farther Fitz-Henry was at Servants of the Paraclete but we do know that his next assignment was in San Luis Obispo.
Servants of the Paraclete is still in operation for several programs, including stress, depression, and preaching. However they told us over email that they no longer have the rehabilitation program for sexually abusive priests.
Submitted by Lucero Benitez, Central Coast News
