Lawrence Harold Welsh
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Harold Welsh was the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane
from 1978-1989.
, Welsh was ordained a priest on March 26, 1962. On November 6, 1978, he was appointed bishop of the Spokane Diocese and was ordained on December 14, 1978.
On November 5, 1991, Welsh was made an auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
.
because they could threaten to reveal his own activities with male prostitutes. Welsh is specifically accused of reasigning the priest Patrick O'Donnell to another parish after three families brought allegations of sexual abuse of children by O'Donnell to the knowledge of Bishop Welsh.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane
The Diocese of Spokane is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of Washington. Headquartered in Spokane, the diocese encompasses Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, Whitman, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin Counties...
from 1978-1989.
Life
Born in Winton, WyomingWinton, Wyoming
Winton is a ghost town in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. Winton was north-northeast of Reliance. Megeath Wyoming and Winton Wyoming are the same place. Megaeth Coal Company owned a Post Office named Winton...
, Welsh was ordained a priest on March 26, 1962. On November 6, 1978, he was appointed bishop of the Spokane Diocese and was ordained on December 14, 1978.
Police Investigation
On September 9, 1986 police officers of the Spokane Police Department were assigned to investigate charges that Welsh had tried to stangle a male prostitute in Chicago. The accuser also said that Welsh may have committed murder in the past. Welsh admitted to police that he picked up a drug addict and took him to his hotel room for counseling. On further questioning Bishop Welsh admitted to putting his hands all over the victims body.End of Term as bishop
On April 17, 1989, Welsh resigned as Bishop of Spokane after he was arrested for drunk driving.On November 5, 1991, Welsh was made an auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by the prelature of an archbishop which administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis...
.
Protecting Sex Abusers
It has been alleged that Welsh did little against priests in his diocese who sexually abused minorsChild sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
because they could threaten to reveal his own activities with male prostitutes. Welsh is specifically accused of reasigning the priest Patrick O'Donnell to another parish after three families brought allegations of sexual abuse of children by O'Donnell to the knowledge of Bishop Welsh.