A priest assigned to Salpointe Catholic High School has been removed from public ministry after a claim he had sex with a minor more than a decade ago in another state.
On Wednesday, Salpointe families received an email from staff informing them of the allegation made against Fr. Edgar Lopez. The letter assured families the alleged abuse is not in “anyway related to Salpointe Catholic High School or Fr. Lopez’s ministry within the Diocese of Tucson”.
The school has removed Lopez from public ministry and relieved him of his employment at Salpointe pending further investigation, school officials said.
A statement made Friday by the Tucson Diocese said Fr. Lopez was also affiliated with the St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church, although his work there has also been suspended.
Law enforcement officials in Tucson, as well as in the location where the alleged abuse occurred, have been notified and, according to the diocese’s statement, an investigation is underway.
Fr. Lopez has been suspended from ministry as well as from all ministerial assignments within the Tucson diocese.
No details about the allegations have been made public.
“In law, as well as in our Catholic Church’s teaching, a person is presumed innocent until there is proof of guilt,” school president Kay Sullivan and Principal Artemis Martin said in a joint statement. “At present, there is only an allegation.”
Both Sullivan and Martin, the school, and the Diocese of Tucson are “committed to the prevention of sexual misconduct with minors and to responding to such allegations.”
“Salpointe Catholic High School students, parents, and supporters should be aware that we take all allegations very seriously,” the letter says.
Potential victims or anyone with information is encouraged to contact the The Diocese of Tucson abuse reporting hotline at 520-838-2567.
