New Detroit Priest Abuse Case Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

Rev. Loren O’Dea, 83 was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1993 and retired in 1997 when he was only 68 years old. His early retirement may be significant given that O’Dea was ordained only four years prior and 68 is not the normal retirement age in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Perhaps more important, O’Dea had studied for the priesthood when he was much younger but became a social worker instead. The sexual abuse allegations stem from the period before his ordination to the priesthood.
As a priest abuse lawyer for many years, it seems these set of circumstances warrant further investigation into what the Archdiocese knew about this priest and when they knew it. If, for instance, they had knowledge of inappropriate behavior why was he allowed to serve and pose a danger to the children of the parishes he served?
This is not a decades-old case (which the Church always mentions when they are faced with such allegations). It demonstrates, at least until the Archdiocese answers some fundamental questions, a mode of operation that they had supposedly forsaken after learning about the devastating effects of sexual abuse on children.