Bishop Pelotte moved to Houston hospital to be near his brother

Published: 2007-08-09

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishop Donald E. Pelotte of Gallup, N.M., has been moved to a Houston hospital closer to where his brother lives, after spending more than two weeks in a Phoenix hospital recovering from injuries he said he sustained in a fall at his home July 22. In an Aug. 9 posting on the diocesan Web site, Deacon Timoteo Lujan, chancellor, said Bishop Pelotte was transferred the day before to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center for ongoing treatment of traumatic head injuries. Deacon Lujan also reported that the diocese had hired an Albuquerque law firm after New Mexico news media sought copies of photos of the bishop with his injuries. The Gallup city attorney asked a state judge to decide if the police department is obligated to release to the news media photos of the bishop's injuries taken by police at the Gallup hospital where he was first evaluated. The diocese said among the factors in the decision to move Bishop Pelotte to Memorial Hermann Hospital was that his twin brother, Father Dana Pelotte, is pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Houston. Father Pelotte had been at the Phoenix hospital nearly every day since his brother arrived. Both men are members of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, which maintains a community house in Houston, it said.

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