An official with a Catholic diocese in California has been arrested for possessing and sharing child pornography, NBC Bay Area reported.
Jeremiah York, 24, who worked as the Director of Liturgical Ministries and the Executive Assistant to the Rector at the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, was arrested this past Jan. 6.
The Diocese of Oakland has not publicly acknowledged his arrest. York’s photo and employment information remained on the Cathedral’s website until Friday, but was taken down shortly after NBC Bay Area inquired about his case. In an email to NBC Bay Area, Diocese of Oakland spokesperson Helen Osman said that York was no longer employed by the Cathedral since the first week of January.
“In reviewing this situation, we have not discovered any potential criminal conduct by Jeremiah York in the course of his employment, or occurring on Cathedral property, utilizing its property, or involving parishioners, including minors,” Osman wrote. “No arrests have occurred on Cathedral property, and the Diocese of Oakland, which oversees the Cathedral, has cooperated with law enforcement.”
Tim Stier, a former priest with the Diocese of Oakland, passed along a tip about York’s arrest to NBC Bay Area.
“I was just appalled and astounded by that,” Stier said. “My source didn’t want to be named, but [they] gave me permission to pursue this.”
From NBC Bay Area:
According to Osman, York oversaw the planning and preparation of liturgies at the Cathedral and helped coordinate events such as weddings and funerals. York also worked alongside altar servers, which Osman said are almost exclusively adults at this time.
Stier said some liturgies, such as baptisms and communions, involve children, and that the Diocese has a duty to be transparent with parishioners about York’s arrest.
“The responsibility of the Diocese goes beyond just firing him,” Stier said. “Were there announcements to all that masses? Were all the parents of children in the Cathedral notified of this? I would be very surprised if they were.”
Watch a report on the story below:
