CHARLOTTE (NC)
WFAE
December 2, 2019
By Sarah Delia
WFAE’s “The List” is a four-part series about the impact of the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church and the push for dioceses to release lists of credibly accused clergy. The Diocese of Charlotte is one of about 30 dioceses in the United States that, as of Dec. 1, 2019, hasn’t published such a list.
The following includes descriptions about sexual violence. Please be advised.
SARAH DELIA: I’ve been thinking a lot about lists and what they mean — why it’s helpful and important to write something down. Sometimes, lists are scribbles on a scrap piece of paper torn quickly from something larger, written in barely legible writing that make sense only to the person who wrote it: Remember to pick up dry cleaning. Remember to get milk. Remember to stop by bank. Remember. Remember. Remember.
ANTHONY: I remember him telling me, “Don’t tell anybody about this. I did this because I love you. This is how God wants us to show each other that we love each other.”
And sometimes it’s fine if only one person understands the contents of a list. It’s fine if no one ever sees it besides that one person. Sometimes. But not all the time.
FATHER PATRICK WINSLOW: We try very hard to serve everyone involved but most especially victims.
Sometimes lists should be public and easily accessible. Those lists should be clearly printed and detailed. They should be widely distributed. Sometimes it’s important for everyone — not just one person — to remember something, or someone.
ROBBY PRICE: It’s not about what the Catholic Church wants. It’s not about what Bishop Jugis wants. It’s about protecting kids and about protecting not only kids but any parishioner who was victimized by any member of the clergy.
That’s the type of list sexual abuse survivors are waiting for from the Charlotte Diocese. In May 2019, the bishop of the Charlotte Diocese, Peter Jugis, announced that a list of clergy who have been “credibly accused” of sexual abuse involving minors would be released. Jugis said the diocese was “committed to finishing the investigation and publishing a list of credibly accused clergy before the end of the year.” Now it’s December, and time is running out for the Charlotte Diocese to meet that deadline. And people are waiting.
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