SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Archdiocese has removed a Canyon Lake priest from his ministry following an allegation of child sexual abuse.
According to a news release from the archdiocese , Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller removed the Rev. Edward Pavlicek of his faculties Friday and prohibited him from exercising any priestly ministry.
Pavlicek most recently served as pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Canyon Lake on July 1.
The archdiocese was informed of the abuse allegations on Aug. 29 by the victim, who said the abuse happened between 1986 and 1988, the news release said.
The archdiocese informed the Bexar County District Attorney's Office of the allegation the next day.
District Attorney Nico LaHood said in a news release that the alleged victim was 11-years-old at the time and no charges would be filed due to the statute of limitations expiring.
"At the time of the alleged offense, the statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child allowed prosecution of the offense only until the victim turned 28. Unfortunately, since over 30 years have passed since the offense is alleged to have occurred, the District Attorney's Office is not allowed, by law, to investigate and prosecute this allegation."
Upon the recommendation of the Archdiocesan Review Board, Garcia-Siller opened a preliminary canonical investigation into the allegation and removed Pavlicek from ministry during the investigation.
The canonical investigation, conducted with the help of an independent private investigator, was completed Thursday.
After reviewing the investigation results, the board told Garcia-Siller on Friday that there is sufficient evidence that the abuse occurred and advised him to refer the matter to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican for possible laicization.
Garcia-Siller then removed Pavlicek of his duties.
Pavlicek also served as: pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd, in Schertz, and its mission of Immaculate Conception, in Marion; pastor of St. Mary Parish, in Somerset; pastor of St. Benedict Church, in San Antonio; parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Church, in Floresville; parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Church, in San Antonio; and parochial vicar and temporary administrator of St. Ann's Church, in San Antonio.
This was the first allegation of child sexual abuse involving Pavlicek that the archdiocese has received.
The removal of Pavlicek comes a few weeks after Garcia-Siller announced that the archdiocese will release the names of clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors, including allegations dating back to 1950.