In 1965 Colorado Springs Catholic officials described the repeated, flagrant advances to children by the late Harold Robert White in a letter as “boy troubles.” The one-time priest at the center of many of the 44 sexual abuse cases settled by the Denver Archdiocese knew White was a pedophile.
Instead of removing him from the priesthood, church officials transferred White to at least nine parishes during his career, which began with his ordination in 1960 and ended in 2004, when he was defrocked. He died in 2006.
A Minnesota lawyer who represents some of the abuse victims released more than 150 pages of archdiocesan documents. The lawyer, Jeff Anderson, obtained the material under the settlement with the church.
All names except for White's were blacked out but the archdiocesan letters make it clear that church officials were concerned about White’s sexual activities, but didn’t tell authorities. Today, according to Archbishop Charles Chaput, pedophiles would be reported to the police.