JOLIET (IL)
Southtown Star
BY BOB OKON bokon@stmedianetwork.com March 12, 2013
Documents released by court order will show that Joliet Diocese bishops knew of priests sexually abusing minors as far back as 1958, a victim’s attorney said Tuesday.
Chicago attorney Terrence M. Johnson said the diocese has released thousands of pages of documents and paid $600,000 to his client, who was sexually abused by a former pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Mokena.
Johnson said bigger news will come in a few weeks when he plans to release documents showing a practice of covering up sexual abuse that went on for decades.
“The story that is really a revelation to members of the diocese of Joliet and the people in the diocese is what the bishops knew. It’s actually stunning what they knew,” he said.
A spokesman for the diocese expressed doubt that the diocese documents will be much of a revelation, saying that “sexual abuse of minors has been going on for decades” in society.
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