April 22, 2002

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373
bbunce@archdpdx.org

Statement concerning Father Rocco Perone, CSP

        The Archdiocese of Portland has been named in a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse
by Paulist Father Rocco Perone, CSP. Fr. Perone was assigned by his religious order
to St. Philip Neri parish in Portland from 1951 to 1956. He left Portland in 1956 and did
not return to Oregon. The Archdiocese has no record of receiving any complaints
against Fr. Perone while he was in Portland. Fr. Perone died in 1992.

        The alleged events occurred nearly 50 years ago. As the Archdiocese has noted
before, dealing with a lawsuit involving things which allegedly happened 50 years ago,
particularly when a priest named is deceased, presents great challenges to the legal
system as well as to the Archdiocese of Portland, its people and its leaders.

        Child abuse is contrary to all that the Catholic Church believes and professes
about the dignity of human persons. It is never to be tolerated. The Archdiocese of
Portland has a Child Abuse Contact Line that deals exclusively with reports of sexual
abuse of minors by church personnel (503-416-8810).
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