President
August 24, 2018
Dear Members of the UP Community,
On August 14, 2018, the Pennsylvania Attorney General released an Investigating Grand Jury report detailing the sexual abuse of minors within the dioceses of Pennsylvania and addressing the failures of those in leadership to meaningfully respond to misconduct. The report describes acts committed by individuals who betrayed the most sacred positions of trust with their victims. It is impossible to read the report and come away anything but horrified. As a Catholic, and particularly as a priest, I am shocked and deeply troubled by the report’s contents and the role of the leadership of the Church, and I pray that the victims may know healing and peace.
I am saddened to share with you that just last week, the University of Portland learned that one of the almost three hundred priests named in the report is Rev. Joseph B. Wilson. Wilson was born in 1925 and was a brother in the Southwest Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross until he left in 1994 and was ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania. While a brother, he went by the name of Raphael Wilson. One of his assignments was at the University of Portland, where he was a faculty member in Biology from 1976 to 1978 and president from 1978 to 1981.
The University of Portland has no information to suggest it was aware of any allegation of abuse at the time of his employment at UP from 1976 to 1981 and just learned of the allegations when the report was released. The report does not state that Wilson committed abuse while at UP nor do we have any information that suggests he did so.
As a Catholic University, we condemn any act of violence or abuse against any person or child, and we call on those in leadership positions to act to prevent abuse and to hold abusers responsible. Our hearts are with every person whose life is affected by this horrific offense. The University of Portland community stands together to uphold our mission, values, and a collective commitment to fostering a world that is free from sexual assault, sexual harassment, or other forms of violence.
Both the United States Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the University of Portland take significant and meaningful action to prevent acts of sexual misconduct. As a University, we take proactive steps to protect community members, including the completion of background checks of new employees and searches of the national sex offender registry. UP takes allegations of sexual abuse, misconduct, and violence against any student or employee very seriously and has robust policies and procedures in place to prevent and address them. The University encourages all members of the community to access the University’s Title IX website, up.edu/titleix, and read our policies, procedures, and practices.
I ask you to join me in praying for the victims and for our Church and society.
Sincerely,
Father Mark
Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.
President
University of Portland
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
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