CHICAGO (IL)
WLS
[with video]
Michelle Gallardo
January 15, 2014 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — Thousands of pages of documents were handed over to they attorneys of sex abuse victims by the Archdiocese of Chicago on Wednesday.
“I want to offer apologies to all victims affected by these sins and crimes” Bishop Francis Kane said during the news conference.
The documents include complaints, personnel files and more and are expected to identify 30 former clergy members accused of abusing children and the church officials who help protect the accused. They are being released as part of a legal settlement.
The Archdiocese of Chicago is the nation’s third largest archdiocese. Last Sunday, Francis Cardinal George released a letter to Chicago-area parishioners informing them of Wednesday’s release. He said he wrote the letter to be accountable and transparent.
“It’s always important to tell the truth. Since the publications of dozens of events that happened in the [19]80s before I got here is going to be, nonetheless, the occasion for a lot of conversation, I thought I better put it in some perspective. So, that was the purpose of the letter,” he said Sunday.
“It’s just a dishonest letter. It’s a disingenuous letter,” said Kate Bochte of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.
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