Deposition of Priest Witness B - received 2 reports of abuse by Kelly in the late 1950s
Date of Deposition: January 22, 2007

 Depo of Witness B Vol. 1 (1-19-07)

The deposition transcript redactions are necessitated by a protective order sought and obtained by the Archbishop and his lawyers during the coordination proceeding. The following summary identifies by page and line number key portions of deposition testimony that would have been utilized had the Father Kelly cases proceeded to trial.

Priest Witness B received was assigned with Father Kelly in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Two witnesses testified they told this priest at least as early as 1958 of sexual abuse by Father Kelly. Lay Witness C was the first to report abuse by Father Kelly to Priest Witness B. Priest Witness B responds to questions about the first report starting at Page 115, line 4 to Page 126, Line 3 of this transcript. Lay Witness P was the second person to report abuse by Father Kelly to Priest Witness B. Priest Witness B responds to questions about this report starting at Page 135, line 18 to Page 141, Line 14 of the transcript.

Priest Witness B’s deposition also is remarkable for his his testimony regarding the Doctrine of Mental Reservation, and his apparent willingness to disregard the oath he took at the start of his deposition. Specifically, he testified the doctrine may be invoked by Catholic priests to protect the Church from scandal, and allows them to lie in order to do so. He also testified it would have been “pretty stupid” from him to invoke the doctrine during his deposition, and then admit he had done so if questioned under oath. This testimony can be found at Page 171, Line 20 to Page 174, Line 3 of the transcript.

Finally, Priest Witness B’s testimony regarding what life was like with Father Kelly, beginning on Page 38, should be contrasted with that of Former Priest Witness A’s testimony regarding knowledge of Father Kelly taking boys to the cabin and to Kelly’s room in the rectory, as well as regarding how Father Kelly was viewed by other priests and parish staff members. It is difficult to understand how two men - Priest Witness B and Former Priest Witness A - could have such dramatically different recollections and observations of what life was like with Father Kelly at Our Lady of Guadalupe, particularly where both men were in residence at the parish during the same time period.