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	Archdiocese to Release Names of Accused Priests WPVI March 9, 2011 http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/crime&id=8003000 [with video] PHILADELPHIA - March 9, 2011 (WPVI) -- Today is Ash Wednesday - the first day of Lent for Catholics. It is a day of repentance for Christians. Today is also the day that the Philadelphia Archdiocese will begin revealing the identities of the 21 priests suspended following last month's grand jury report on child molestation in the church. The affected parishes will be notified individually between Wednesday and Sunday. The victims of sex abuse by the clergy believe once the priests' names are made public, even more victims will come forward. Sex abuse victims and other protestors gathered outside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for a silent protest as parishioners arrived for Ash Wednesday services. The protestors included Father Robert Hoatson of New Jersey, who is suing two archdiocese for his experiences. "I'm also a survivor of clergy sexual abuse myself and when I began to help victims my bishop put me on administrative leave and is punishing me for speaking out about this," said Father Hoatson. "It's so important that Catholic masses understand the damage that this is causing," said protestor Annette Nestle of Upper Deerfield, New Jersey. Some of the faithful coming to get their ashes on Wednesday were also learning for the first time the names of those suspended. "It's a shame. It's a bad name on the Catholics," said Delores Phillips of Northeast Philadelphia. "But there's a lot of good ones out there." "It's something that should have never have happened, especially to little kids. Anybody, really," said Mary DiSilvestro of Northeast Philadelphia. "Horrible." The gathering came one day after Cardinal Justin Rigali suspended 21 Roman Catholic priests who were named as child molestation suspects in a scathing grand jury report. Abuse victim Barbara Blaine tells us, "The bottom line is [Rigali] put the reputation of predators and of the Archdiocese ahead of the protection of children." The priests have been removed from the ministry while their cases are being reviewed. Last month, a 2-year grand jury investigation into priest abuse in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia resulted in charges against two priests, a former priest, and a catholic schoolteacher who are accused of raping boys. In all, the grand jury named 37 priests who remained in active ministry despite credible allegations of sex abuse. District Attorney Seth Williams says the statute of limitations ran out on many potential cases. "We're going to use all of the resources available to this office to protect children," said Williams. In response to the grand jury report, the Archdiocese launched an independent investigation into the allegations spearheaded by attorney Gina Maisto Smith, a former city child-abuse prosecutor. She recommended the 21 priests be put on administrative leave. "The cardinal and this leadership team has given me the freedom to cooperate fully with the District Attorney's Office and to take the appropriate action," explained Maisto Smith.
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