By Cathy Logg
Herald Writer
SNOHOMISH — The Rev. Dick Ward delivered the news to his parishioners at St. Michael Catholic Church during evening mass Saturday: former pastor Rev. Dennis Champagne resigned from the church after an allegation that he molested a former alter boy two decades ago — but the news came as no surprise.
Many of the parishioners already had heard about Champagne’s resignation, the second in a week amid sex-abuse allegations involving a Catholic priest who had served in Snohomish County. Champagne, 57, has been co-pastor of St. John Bosco Church in Lakewood and Immaculate Conception Church in Steilacoom, both in Pierce County. He served for years in Snohomish County at St. Michael Parish as well as Holy Cross Parish in Granite Falls and left Snohomish County three years ago.
The Rev. John Cornelius, who worked at Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic churches in Everett for four years, resigned May 24. He has been accused of molesting up to 12 boys years ago.
Many parishioners at St. Michael’s remember Champagne, and some don’t believe the allegation.
"There’s lots of people very upset," said Stan Roth. "We’ve known Father Champagne for over 20 years. We like to dropped our teeth when we heard it. Some of us just don’t believe it.
"It probably would have been better for everybody if he hadn’t resigned right away," he said.
"It was a very sad time when he left here because everybody loved him," said his wife, Roselan Roth. "We support the parish."
After Ward learned of the allegation Thursday from Archbishop Alex Brunett, "Archbishop and I then prayed for the youth involved," he told his congregation. "We also prayed for all the victims who have been abused in all those other tragic instances in our Archdiocese, and we prayed for our friend Dennis, and we prayed for you, our parishioners, who know and love and were served by Dennis. And we also prayed that these tragedies would stop, right now."
The revelation hasn’t stopped parents from letting their children serve the church, Ward said.
"If they’re afraid, I certainly didn’t see it," he said.
The Catholic church has been "a closed-mouth monolith" but now must change with the times, Ward said. Its leaders have been slow to recognize that sexual abuse isn’t something that can be cured simply by prayer and penitence, he said.
"The world has changed markedly in the last 30 to 40 years and the church is going to have to grow and change," he said. "It needs to be much more open. We can’t have everything done behind closed doors. And take an edict from on high without taking into consideration the thoughts and needs of the people."
He commended the archbishop for a recent series of "listening meetings" in which five people from each parish offered their thoughts and ideas to him.
"We’re making great strides, but we’ve got a long way to go," Ward said.
You can call Herald Writer Cathy Logg at 425-339-3437 or send e-mail to logg@heraldnet.com.
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