Priest accused of molestation in Arlington is defrocked
Monday, September 12, 2011
Rudolf J. Rentería, who was accused of molesting a 14-year-old Arlington boy while a priest, has been defrocked, the Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese announced in its newspaper.
The man who accused Rentería settled his lawsuit with the diocese in July 2010. As part of the settlement, Bishop Kevin Vann was asked to petition the Vatican to return Rentería to lay status, said the man's attorney, Tahira Khan Merritt of Dallas.
Merritt said she was surprised that the diocese didn't inform the family when Rentería was defrocked in December.
Instead, Merritt told the family after seeing the small announcement this month. The family, which still lives in Arlington, was "thrilled, of course," she said. But "the bishop should have called them."
Vann was out of town Thursday and not available for comment. Diocese spokesman Pat Svacina said that Vann worked hard to get Rentería dismissed from the priesthood and that it was personally important to him.
