PURCELLVILLE, Va. -- A Purcellville priest has been placed on leave for potential inappropriate conduct. The priest, Father Ronald S. Escalante, has been part of Saint Francis de Sales Church in Purcellville for the past decade and Pastor since 2012.
The Arlington Diocese placed Father Ronald S. Escalante, Pastor of Saint Francis de Sales Church on administrative leave on Friday, Dec. 7, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's spokesman Kraig Troxell said the Diocese contacted them regarding "potential inappropriate contact" by a member of their clergy.
For church member Jen Du Plessis, it's upsetting, "The kids adore him...I'm definitely shocked and in disbelief right now." Du Plessis is an author, speaker and podcaster who gives advice to small businesses. She's good friends with Father Escalante and reached out to him while she was vacationing in Key West, Florida on Sunday. She never heard back and found out about the investigation when a WUSA9 reporter contacted her Monday.
"I've never seen him do anything that would be in appropriate. Ever. And I have been at, we have dances, we have social events. He's been here at my home...Hopefully we all don't have too many shadows and that this isn't, you know, a double life. My hope would be that that's not the case. But, my heart would go out to any family or any person that that would happen to. So, there's a couple things going through my mind. one is, I can't believe it. And the other is, if it were true, I feel for the family," said Du Plessis.
A spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said that the Dioceses reported the allegations to them on November 21st. Diocese Spokeswoman Angela Pellerano said in a statement "On November 21, we reported the complaint to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. At that time, we began our own investigation and ensured that Father Escalante would not be present in the parish while we conducted this investigation. We presented out findings to the Diocesan Review Board. After having received counsel from the Diocesan Review Board, Bishop Burbidge then made the formal decision to place him on administrative leave."
The Arlington Diocese posted on its website on Friday that "Bishop Michael F. Burbidge has placed Father Ronald S. Escalante, Pastor of Saint Francis de Sales Church, Purcellville, on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation of alleged boundary violations involving a minor and adults which transgress the Code of Conduct for Clergy in the Diocese of Arlington. In accord with diocesan policy, these allegations were reported to local law enforcement and considered by the Diocesan Review Board. Father Escalante denies the accusations, and he has stated that he is cooperating fully with the investigation."
The Diocese also listed its code of conduct policy.
The following are places where Father Ronald Escalante served:
- 2012 - Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Purcellville.
- 2009 - Parochial Administrator of St. Francis de Sales.
- 2007 - Parochial Vicar of St. Luke Parish in McLean.
- 2004 - Part-time parochial vicar of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Fredericksburg, while continuing as chaplain of Mary Washington College.
- 2002 - Chaplain of Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg and part-time parochial vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Spotsylvania.
- 1998 - Parochial vicar of Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria.
- 1995 - Parochial vicar of St. Lawrence Parish in Alexandria.
- 1994 - Deacon at St. Leo the Great in Fairfax.
Escalante remains the Pastor of Saint Francis de Sales Church. Bishop Burbidge will appoint a Parochial Administrator for the parish as the Diocese continues this investigation. Officials ask anyone with any information to contact Detective C. Czekaj of the Special Victims Unit at 703-777-0475.
