Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley spoke out Friday on a report, released Thursday, that details sex crimes against children of nearly a dozen priests in the archdiocese. In a letter, Coakley said the Catholic Church must do better for parishioners after the report named 11 priests who were accused of sexually abusing minors as far back as the 1960s. “The long and the short of it is – you trusted us and we failed you,” Coakley said in the letter. One of the priests named in the report, James Mickus, was accused of raping a man when he was a student at Christ the King Catholic Church. “I want to know what took 20 years,” the man told KOCO 5 News. The man previously had said he reported the alleged abuse in 2002 to an archdiocese hotline. The archdiocese investigated the claims and reinstated Mickus after finding no evidence of abuse. Mickus later filed a defamation suit against the accuser. The suit was dropped, and Mickus went on to serve at more than a dozen parishes across the metro. “They advertise the hotline. You call in and then you get sued,” Mickus’ accuser said. “That’s what happened to me. Went through a lawsuit for eight years and it was hell.”Coakley concludes the letter by saying the church must do a better job protecting children.

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley spoke out Friday on a report, released Thursday, that details sex crimes against children of nearly a dozen priests in the archdiocese.

In a letter, Coakley said the Catholic Church must do better for parishioners after the report named 11 priests who were accused of sexually abusing minors as far back as the 1960s.


“The long and the short of it is – you trusted us and we failed you,” Coakley said in the letter.

One of the priests named in the report, James Mickus, was accused of raping a man when he was a student at Christ the King Catholic Church.

“I want to know what took 20 years,” the man told KOCO 5 News.



The man previously had said he reported the alleged abuse in 2002 to an archdiocese hotline.



The archdiocese investigated the claims and reinstated Mickus after finding no evidence of abuse. Mickus later filed a defamation suit against the accuser.

The suit was dropped, and Mickus went on to serve at more than a dozen parishes across the metro.

“They advertise the hotline. You call in and then you get sued,” Mickus’ accuser said. “That’s what happened to me. Went through a lawsuit for eight years and it was hell.”

Coakley concludes the letter by saying the church must do a better job protecting children.