July 22, 2019

Retired Judge Peter Velis to investigate allegations made against the late Bishop Christopher Weldon

REGIONAL
Staff report

Retired Judge Peter A. Velis (IObserve photo/Sharon Roulier)

SPRINGFIELD – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has announced that  retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis will explore and investigate allegations of misconduct made against the late Bishop Christopher J. Weldon dating back to the early 1960s.

The decision to engage the services of Judge Velis came after it was determined that the recently promulgated Vatican procedures for handling allegations of misconduct against bishops would likely not apply to deceased bishops.

“Upon consultation with church officials, Bishop Mitchell Rozanski was told the new procedures would not seem to encompass allegations against a deceased bishop; therefore it was decided to seek an independent, third party to undertake this investigation,” said diocesan spokesperson Mark Dupont.

“Given the recent public disagreement between this victim and the Diocesan Review Board about the description of the allegations and findings of the board, Bishop Rozanski felt that, in this situation, turning this matter over to an independent and outside party was both warranted and the most prudent course of action,” Dupont said.

Although there will not likely be a Vatican review, Bishop Rozanski was directed to provide, via the apostolic nuncio’s offices in Washington D.C., all information regarding this matter.

“I am most grateful to Judge Velis for taking on this investigation,” Bishop Rozanski said. “We are fortunate to have a jurist of his exemplary reputation to assist in this troubling matter.”

Judge Velis retired from the bench in 2012 after serving for 14 years. His distinguished career in public service started in the 1970s when he was elected to the legislature as a state representative for the Fifth Hampden District, where he served from 1973 to 1978. During his career on the bench he oversaw trials in all four western counties as well as in Barnstable County. A sought-after jurist and member of the Bar for 50 years, Judge Velis is an adjunct professor of criminal evidence at Westfield State University and also provides mediation and arbitration services through his private law practice.

“We have, in Judge Velis, a truly objective person who will investigate the Bishop Weldon matter thoroughly, review how this situation has been handled by the diocese, and help identify opportunities for improvement in how the diocese handles these matters,” Bishop Rozanski said.

As evidence that the diocese has selected an investigator who will be truly independent, impartial, and outside, diocesan officials pointed to a 2003 ruling against the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office by Judge Velis in which he ordered the release of documents related to the Daniel Croteau murder investigation.

Judge Velis is expected to begin his investigation almost immediately.  No deadline has been set.