Crime & Safety

Annandale Pastor Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen

Terry Specht is currently an administrator at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, according to the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

A pastor of Annandale’s Holy Spirit Catholic Church has been accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in the 1990s.

Rev. Terry W. Specht, who is currently a priest of Catholic Diocese of Arlington, has been placed on leave while the allegations are investigated by the Diocesan Review Board.

“Any allegation of abuse deepens the pain felt by all Catholics, and particularly survivors of abuse. We are committed to full cooperation with law enforcement regarding this allegation, and I have directed an independent investigator to review the actions and decisions made by Fr. Specht during his tenure as Director of Child Protection,” Bishop Paul S. Loverde said in a press release posted on the Diocese’s website.

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According to ABC7, Specht has denied the allegations. In the same press release, he Diocese says that Specht “underwent an official background check early in his tenure.”

Holy Spirit Catholic Church's website states Specht became pastor of Holy Spirit in January 2007. A statement on the Diocese’s website confirms Specht has served as an administrator and pastor for the church since 2007. In addition to his service at Holy Spirit, ABC 7 reports Specht served as an assistant principal at Paul VI Catholic High School from 2000 to 2004 and was the director of the Office of Child Protection and Safety from 2004-2011.

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Loverde has named Rev. Paul F. deLadurantaye as parochial administrator of Holy Spirit Church, according to the press release.


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