LA Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Brought Down By 90s Allegation

LOS ANGELES, CA — Pope Francis Wednesday accepted the resignation of an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles accused of misconduct with a minor in the 1990s but never prosecuted.

The allegation against Auxiliary Bishop Alexander Salazar, who served as Vicar for the Office of Ethnic Ministries at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was made before he was ordained bishop in 2004 and was investigated by police and the district attorney declined to file charges, the Most Rev. Jose H. Gomez, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, said in a letter to parishioners.

In 2005, the Archdiocese was made aware of the allegation, which was never reported directly to the Church, the letter said.

"The accusation against Bishop Salazar stemmed from alleged misconduct that was said to have occurred in the 1990s, before he was ordained a bishop, when he was serving as a parish priest," Gomez said. "Since he was a bishop at the time the allegation was received, the Archdiocese referred the matter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Holy See, which conducted an investigation and imposed certain precautionary measures on the ministry of Bishop Salazar."

Salazar has maintained his innocence since the allegation was first brought forward and the matter was ultimately submitted to the Archdiocese's independent Clergy Misconduct Oversight Board, Gomez said.

"The Board found the allegation to be credible and I submitted its findings and recommendations along with my own votum to the Holy See to make its final determination as to Bishop Salazar's status," Gomez said.

These decisions were made out of deep concern for the healing and reconciliation of abuse victims and for the good of the Church's mission, he said.

As a priest, then-Father Salazar served at churches in Whittier, Pasadena and Los Angeles.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock