A retired Jesuit superior sent an apology letter to an Alaska Native organization for testimony he gave in a priest abuse case.

In a deposition, the Rev. William Loyens, a cultural anthropologist, said Athabascan and Yupi'k cultures were "fairly loose" on sexual matters. He seemed to downplay the claims of four Native men who accused a deceased priest of abuse.

But in an apology letter distributed at the Tanana Chiefs Conference this week, Loyens said he didn't mean to say "that sexual molestation would have little effect on Native Alaskans because their culture was 'fairly loose.'" He said he was making a comparison to American culture, which he said is "more uptight" about sexual matters.

Some Natives said the apology wasn't enough. An Athabascan woman said Loyens' comments were an "insult" to Athabascan mothers.

Get the Story:
Retired Jesuit superior apologizes for comments (AP 3/19)

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