Priest who resigned was highly regarded
Published 9:00 pm Saturday, May 25, 2002
By Katherine Schiffner and Kathy Day
Herald Writers
EVERETT — A day after an Everett priest accused of molesting up to 12 teen-age boys and young men resigned from the ministry, parishioners at an Everett church he served expressed shock and sadness.
The Rev. John Cornelius, who worked at Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic churches in Everett for four years, resigned Friday.
The well-known priest will be missed, said Scott Bader, who attended Mass Saturday evening with his family at Immaculate Conception Church and has been part of the parish for 15 years.
"We’re feeling sad for Father John and still praying for anyone who has been abused," he said.
Cornelius has been on administrative leave since April, after two men alleged that he improperly touched them when they were students at a Catholic school in suburban Burien in the 1970s.
At least 12 men have come forward in recent weeks claiming Cornelius, 56, sexually abused them as adolescents between 1968 and 1985.
Holly Huschka of Everett, who also attended the church on Saturday, said she believes the allegations against Cornelius and said he needed to resign.
"I think it was the right thing to do, and I think it should have happened way before," she said.
Mary Kelly of Mukilteo, who has attended Immaculate Conception for more than six years, said it has been a difficult time for the Everett Catholic churches.
"Father John is a really special person. All I can say is my heart is broken for him and the people’s lives he touched," she said.
Anna Lucas of Everett, who has attended the Everett churches for almost 60 years, said Cornelius brought many parishioners into the church and was always there to talk with. But she said he should not have been transferred from a Seattle in 1997 to Everett, a parish that has a school.
"That’s like putting a diabetic in a candy store," she said, adding that the Seattle Archdiocese is not aware of any allegations against Cornelius stemming from his work in Everett.
The Rev. Dennis Robb, leader of the two Catholic churches where Cornelius worked, declined to comment about Cornelius’ resignation Saturday, and did not speak about Cornelius at Saturday’s Mass.
In a taped broadcast paid for by the archdiocese that aired on Seattle TV early Saturday morning, Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett apologized to people who have been abused by priests and pledged "zero tolerance … for child abuse."
Child abuse, he said, is "absolutely not in our vision of life or faith. It is a terrible thing."
He didn’t address specific cases, including those involving Cornelius. The broadcast was taped before Friday’s announcement that Cornelius had resigned.
Priests, Brunett said, "are not above the law." If a criminal offense is involved, he said, he expects "anyone who works for me or this archdiocese to cooperate fully with civil authorities."
Brunett, in the half-hour show "Northwest Catholics," answered questions put to him by diocese spokesman Bill Gallant.
He spoke in a calm and measured manner, offering "his deep and humble apologies to any person who has been a victim at the hands of a priest" or any other volunteer or employee of the Catholic church.
He acknowledged the "terror" and trauma that those who have been abused have experience and pleaded with them to come to him with details so he can help them.
The show concluded with a reminder of an 800 phone line that has been set up for people who want to lodge complaints about alleged abuses. The number is 800-950-4965.
You can call Herald Writer Katherine Schiffner at 425-339-3436 or send e-mail to schiffner@heraldnet.com.
