Several visitors have told me they're aware of situations in their families of actual abuse, as well as apparent evidence that might confirm why Mr/Dcn Orr might have had undue influence over Fr Phillips. With nothing in the public record, there's little more I can do. I'm told that some families have been deterred from reporting actual abuse in the past due to fear of reprisal. I can't minimize this fear, although if the fear is primarily one of being "de-fellowshipped" or "shunned" by the OLA parish, I would suggest being at OLA is spiritually dangerous irrespective of who groped whom.
I have certainly heard first-hand accounts from people who reported unwanted advances by former Dcn Orr against their children to Fr Phillips, which he discounted and minimized. If these instances were not reported to the archdiocese, I would strongly urge those families to report them now to the OCSP's safe environment coordinator. I believe the OCSP should be aware of a pattern of such conduct. The same applies to actual instances of abuse, which at least one correspondent has reported have taken place in addition to the one noted by the archdiocese. (If the legal and canonical responsibility remains with the archdiocese, I would still suggest the instances be reported to both authorities and then follow the advice they give.)
Basically, while telling me about it can provide some background to what seems to have been a nightmarish atmosphere at OLA, I'm not the place to report this. To ensure accountability on Fr Phillips's part and protect children in the future, this needs to be investigated by appropriate authorities (and in accordance with Church policy reported to law enforcement). Anyone who's aware of instances of abuse and doesn't report it is responsible for the situation not getting better. There's not much I can do to help here, though I continue to pray for those involved.
