Accused pedophile remained pastor

DETROIT, April 11 (UPI) -- A suburban Detroit pastor was allowed to retain his position in his parish until last week despite charges he sexually molested a youth in the 1970s, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday.

The Archdiocese of Detroit paid off the accuser in the 1990s to settle the charges, the newspaper said.

Paying off those making charges against priests apparently is not unusual for the church. According to the political newsletter CounterPunch, the Catholic Church in America has paid some $500 million to settle such cases with the blessing of the Vatican. The National Catholic Reporter estimates the figure could reach $1 billion.

A Dallas jury in 1997 ordered the church to pay $119.6 million in damages for what it deemed "grossly negligent handling" of sexual abuse cases.

The Detroit allegations involve the Rev. Gary Bueche, 57, who was removed as pastor of SS John and Paul on April 1 following a review of the case ordered by Cardinal Adam Maida after new accusations surfaced. The alleged sexual molestation occurred while Beuche was chaplain at Bishop Gallagher High School in Harper Woods.

The Free Press said the alleged victim refused to talk about the case, citing a confidentiality agreement signed at the time of settlement. No lawsuit ever was filed. The Free Press said two other men have come forward alleging they also were sexually molested by Bueche.

Steve Watz, a graduate of Bishop Gallagher, said he phoned the archdiocese office that oversees investigations of priests accused of misconduct last week and told Bishop Kevin Britt that Bueche attempted to massage him in the late 1970s. Watz said he fended Bueche off.