ST. LOUIS (MO)
National Public Radio
August 24, 2018
By Vanessa Romo
Updated at 9:37 a.m. ET
The St. Louis Archdiocese is handing over its records to the state Attorney General’s office for an investigation into the Missouri church’s handling of sexual abuse accusations against clergy members.
Archbishop Robert Carlson made the announcement that he was voluntarily opening church files at a press conference on Thursday. Carlson said he made the invitation to Attorney General Josh Hawley in a letter, adding that he was prompted by “several letters” he had received urging greater transparency.
“Second,” he said, “we have nothing to hide.”
The move by Carlson follows the recent release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing decades of alleged sexual abuse by more than 300 priests and cover-ups by high-ranking clergy leaders.
Carlson said Hawley will have “unfettered access” to the Archdiocese’s comprehensive files.
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