Priest back after controversial trip
A Catholic priest whose absence during a sex-abuse case resulted in an attempt to hold Diocese of Orange Bishop Tod Brown in contempt of court is back in Orange County.
Msgr. John Urell was released from a psychiatric facility in Canada after six months of treatment for an acute anxiety disorder, church officials confirmed Tuesday. He is currently in retreat with family and close friends and is expected to begin resuming his duties as pastor of St. Norbert Catholic Church in Orange sometime after Easter, a spokesman said.
A contempt-of-court citation was requested against Brown in October by attorneys alleging that he had sent Urell to Canada to prevent him from testifying in lawsuits filed by four women who said they were sexually molested by Catholic school and parish employees. Urell’s testimony was important, the lawyers said, because he had handled allegations of abuse against the diocese.
The contempt citation was dropped as part of a nearly $7-million settlement of the case.
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David Haldane
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