PROVIDENCE (RI)
NBC 10
[I-Team: Letters detail alleged sex abuse in diocese
I-Team: Letters raise questions about alleged sex abuse in diocese]
Updated: Nov 20, 2013
By Katie Davis
PROVIDENCE –
Alleged victims who said they were sexually abused by priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence demanded Wednesday for a full investigation by the attorney general’s office and the U.S. Attorney.
In a recent investigation, the NBC 10 I-Team obtained through a records request 88 pages detailing sexual abuse by priests going back more than 30 years.
In each case, a letter detailing allegations of sexual abuse was sent to the Rhode Island State Police by the diocese.
The diocese began the practice around 2003, although there’s no legal mandate requiring the letters. A total of 45 letters were sent to state police between 2003 and 2013.
The documents which were stamped “confidential” were heavily redacted by state police.
The names of priests were blacked out, even those people who are already dead. Dates and locations were blacked out. The names of the churches were blacked out too.
“This has to change if we’re going to help children,” said Ann Hagan Webb, who joined other victims at a news conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Providence. …
“The red flags that remain in these letters are sufficient to cause great concern that children are at risk in this diocese,” said Anne Barrett Doyle of the watchdog group Bishop Accountability.
Barrett Doyle said she believes some of the priests described in the letters may still be working in local churches, based on details that weren’t blacked out by state police.
But the diocese said in its statement that’s not the case.
“The diocese is not aware of any priests currently in ministry, who have credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors against them,” the statement said.
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