CHICAGO (IL)
WLS
[with video]
January 12, 2014 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — Chicago-area Catholics attending mass on Sunday will find a letter likely in their church bulletins. The letter addresses the diocese’s handling of sex abuse cases involving priests.
The letter is titled “Accountability and Transparency,” and describes to parishioners the plan to release church files on former Catholic priests accused of sexually abusing children.
“They’ve been negotiated so that the victim’s aren’t victimized again in the files. So, it was primarily to tell them that, and to put a perspective on the whole story,” said Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago.
Cardinal George went on to say most of the incidents happened decades ago, by priests he’s never met or talked to.
The church will disclose documents identifying 30 former clergy members accused in sexual abuse cases and the files will also identify church officials that are accused of protecting them.
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