GREENSBURG (IN)
CNHI NEWS INDIANA
October 14, 2018
By Amanda Browning
Three priests with ties to the Greensburg area are included on a list of 30 clergy accused of sexual abuse released by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Oct. 11.
The religious were alleged to have committed abusive acts against 103 children and adolescents. Of those, there were seven potential area victims.
“I pray the release of this list of credibly accused clergy will help all survivors of sexual abuse find the strength to come forward and will set them on the path to healing,” said the Most Rev. Charles Thompson, archbishop of Indianapolis. “I apologize to all victims for the abuse that was done to them and for the failure of the church to keep them from harm. I pledge to do everything within my power to protect our youth.”
The list includes 19 priests for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, as well as four priests who were members of religious orders serving the archdiocese back through the 1940s. The list of the credibly accused was compiled on the recommendation of the Archdiocesan Review Board, which includes five laypersons and one clergy member, who work to investigate and review each abuse allegation. Board members have current or former positions in law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office, child protective services, education, child development, social work, psychology and law, according to Thompson.
The archdiocese said an allegation was considered credible if “after a thorough investigation and review of available information the accusation was determined to be more likely to be true than not.” The list is separated into those found to have credible claims against them, those accused of improper relationships with “vulnerable” adults, and those who were deceased before claims were made against them.
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