WASHINGTON (DC)
Patch
October 16, 2018
By Deb Belt
The release by the Archdiocese of Washington of the names of 31 priests deemed “credibly accused” of sexual abuse — along with the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Washington, D.C. archbishop, following criticism of his handling of child sex abuse cases — falls short of what critics say is a comprehensive list. The Survivors Network of those Abused By Priests said the release is a “hastily assembled PR stunt,” and only a full list of suspected and convicted abusers compiled by law enforcement would suffice.
The archdiocese posted on its website the names of 28 former clergy of the archdiocese, plus three religious-order priests who served in temporary roles in archdiocesan parishes or schools, who were “credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors from 1948 onward,” according to a statement. The list was assembled as part of a review of the archdiocese’s archives ordered by Cardinal Wuerl last year.
“This list is a painful reminder of the grave sins committed by clergy, the pain inflicted on innocent young people, and the harm done to the Church’s faithful, for which we continue to seek forgiveness,” said Cardinal Wuerl. “Our strong commitment to accompany survivors of abuse on their path toward healing is unwavering, but it is also important to note that to our knowledge there has not been an incident of abuse of a minor by a priest of the archdiocese in almost two decades. There is also no archdiocesan priest in active ministry who has ever been the subject of a credible allegation of abuse of a minor.”
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