The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is calling allegations that Bishop Michael Bransfield fondled a student back in the 1970’s “unsubstantiated”.

            The Philadelphia Inquirer reported over the weekend that the Montgomery County, Pa. district attorney was still investigating allegations made against the bishop during the trial of another priest in Philadelphia.

            NEWS9 placed a call to the district attorney’s office Monday morning where officials had no further information to release.

            "The prosecutor made reference during the trial to another allegation that then-Fr. Bransfield had fondled a student,” said Diocese Spokesman Bryan Minor in a statement emailed to NEWS9 Monday night.

“That allegation was investigated by the District Attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, who declined to bring charges, and by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which found that the allegation was not substantiated," Minor said.

 Minor said this in a statement on Sunday:

"You may be following upon an article that appeared in today's edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer:
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120708_Review_of_2007_allegation_a_W_Va__bishop_had_fondled_a_Montco_student.html?cmpid=125459048

Our stance is that this is old news.  

It appears to us to be further reference by the Inquirer to information released during this year's clergy sexual abuse trial in Philadelphia.  Bishop Bransfield's name was used in those proceedings, which were reported extensively by media in Philadelphia and the Ohio Valley from April 17-19.  In fact, in this article-- http://articles.philly.com/2012-04-20/news/31374257_1_abuse-allegations-clergy-sexual-abuse-grand-jury-report -- you will see this reference:  [Prosecutors are also aware of a separate allegation "of a fondling of a student by Bransfield," Blessington told Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina. He did not elaborate, and the judge has barred the lawyers from publicly commenting in the case.]

Now the transcripts have been released and the Inquirer is running with the story again.

At that time, Bishop Bransfield released a statement responding to all allegations, and he stands today by that response.  It can be found at this web address:

http://www.dwc.org/news/1254-a-statement-from-bishop-michael-j-bransfield.html

Even though these are not new allegations against Bishop Bransfield, this story was still published by the Inquirer.  

Regardless of what news is reported or repeated in this matter, the Diocese asks the community to please pray for our Bishop, our Diocese, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and all those affected by sexual abuse in any way."

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