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Keep the Pressure On: Civil Authorities Must Vigilantly Investigate Church Sex Scandal

Watertown Daily Times
December 26, 2018

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/opinion/keep-the-pressure-on-civil-authorities-must-vigilantly-investigate-church-sex-scandal-20181228

Information released last week by the attorney general of Illinois should guide officials in other states, including New York, as they investigate the sexual abuse scandal within the Roman Catholic Church.

“A scathing report from Attorney General Lisa Madigan finds the number of Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse against children in Illinois is much higher than previously acknowledged. The report said accusations have been leveled against 690 priests while Catholic officials have publicly identified only 185 clergy with credible allegations against them,” according to a story published Dec. 20 by the Chicago Tribune. “The determination is part of a preliminary report made public Wednesday by Madigan’s office, which has been investigating Catholic clergy sexual abuse of minors following revelations during the summer of widespread abuse and cover-ups by Catholic officials in Pennsylvania. The report was critical of the six Catholic dioceses that govern parishes across Illinois for their lack of transparency and flawed investigations. Although the report says that ‘Clergy sexual abuse of minors in Illinois is significantly more extensive than the Illinois dioceses previously reported,’ it does not estimate how many of the allegations against the 690 clergy should have been deemed credible. Some of the allegations go back decades.”

A report released in August revealed numerous incidents of abuse by more than 300 priests in Pennsylvania. The report, issued by a grand jury, covers six dioceses — which represent 54 of the state’s 67 counties. Pennsylvania’s other two dioceses were previously investigated by other grand juries.

Members of this grand jury spent two years examining evidence and working on the report. Their findings chronicle systemic abuse and attempts to conceal abominable behavior stretching back decades.

This report prompted state officials throughout the country to investigate their own Catholic dioceses. Authorities made note that priests named in Pennsylvania have connections to their jurisdictions; several dozen of these priests previously served in New York.

The findings by Ms. Madigan’s office in Illinois are bound to reflect what’s occurring across the country: Catholic dioceses are willing to name a rather limited number of priests who have faced accusations of sexual abuse against children. However, investigations by government agencies will likely reveal many more than the dioceses offer.

New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced earlier this year that she was launching an investigation into how “dioceses and other church entities — which are nonprofit institutions — reviewed and potentially covered up allegations of extensive sexual abuse of minors,” according to a news release issued by her office in September. She also said she was seeking to “partner with district attorneys — who are the only entities that currently have the power to convene grand juries to investigate these matters — to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute any individuals who have committed criminal offenses that fall within the applicable statutes of limitations.”

Ms. Underwood should pay attention to what’s going on in Illinois. She must be aggressive and vigilant in pursuing this information. Church officials aren’t going to willingly disclose the full extent of the scandals taking place in their areas.

The Diocese of Ogdensburg had previously declined to name all priests who have been accused of sexual abuse. But public pressure finally persuaded Bishop Terry R. LaValley to release all the names.

This is the best approach to discovering the nature of this scandal. Demands made by members of the public and civil authorities should chip away at the Catholic Church’s reluctance to reveal what it knows.

 

 

 

 

 




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