Yakima, Wash., Apr 8, 2008 / 23:02 pm
In a letter read at 40 Catholic parishes in the state of Washington, Bishop Carlos Sevilla has apologized to his diocese for hiring an ex-seminarian to work in a parish despite knowing he was under investigation for viewing child pornography, the Yakima Herald reports.
On Sunday Sevilla personally delivered his apology to parishioners at St. Juan Diego Catholic Church in Cowiche—the church that the ex-seminarian worked at.
"I respectfully ask your forgiveness for my errors and for the embarrassment this may cause you, and your forgiveness for any damage this may cause to the work of the Church in our Diocese," he said in the letter.
"Please pray for me, for the former seminarian who has now been arrested to face these charges, and for continued healing and forgiveness for all those who suffer from childhood sexual abuse," he continued.