Top US bishop accused of sex abuse

Seattle, Mar 10: The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop William Skylstad, has been accused of sexually abusing a child in the early 1960s, according to a statement issued by the Spokane, Washington diocese.

Skylstad, who is also the Spokane, Washington, bishop, denied the accusation in the statement on Wednesday.

''I have kept the promise of celibacy that I made when I was ordained a deacon 47 years ago,'' Skylstad said.

The latest allegation in the sex abuse scandal at the Spokane diocese surfaced before a deadline to file a claim for past cases of abuse by Spokane clergy.

The Spokane Spokesman-Review newspaper reported that a woman, who was less than 18 years old in early 1960s, filed the claim on December. 27, saying the abuse took place at Gonzaga University and another local parish.

Skylstad was a student at Gonzaga from 1962 to 1966.

The Spokane diocese, one of three in the United States to file for bankruptcy because of sex abuse claims, offered 75 victims of priest pedophilia a 45.75 million dollar joint settlement last month.

At a news conference to announce the settlement offer, Skylstad apologised to the victims on behalf of the diocese.

Part of the settlement proposal also required Skylstad to advocate for the elimination of statutes of limitations for sex crimes and to write letters of apology to the families and victims of abuse.

Reuters