Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau releases list of accused priests

SPRINGFIELD (MO)
Springfield News-Leader

April 5, 2019

By Harrison Keegan

The bishop said in a letter this week the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau has spent more than $700,000 over the last 30 years in connection with sex abuse claims.

Bishop Edward Rice said this week’s letter is the culmination of a review the diocese launched in August to get an accurate accounting of clergy sexual abuse over the diocese’s 63-year history.

The leader of a statewide support group said, however, the bishop should be doing more.

This week’s letter names 16 diocesan priests who were accused of abusing minors in cases that “have a semblance of truth,” along with several other religious order priests who have ties to the area.

All but three of those instances of abuse occurred before the 1990s, and none involve anyone in active ministry, according to the bishop’s letter. Many of the accused priests are deceased.

The letter also breaks down the costs associated with clergy sexual abuse in southern Missouri.

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