FAIRMONT (MN)
The Sentinel
January 6, 2020
By Gary Andersen and Lee Smith, Editorial Board
Hundreds of clergy accused of sexually abusing children, including some convicted of crimes, were left off lists released by the Roman Catholic Church in reaction to a worldwide scandal, The Associated Press found.
In terms of rebuilding trust with those of the faith, the church seems to be in a one-step-forward, two-steps-back posture. When claims of transparency are exposed as hollow, what are those skeptical of the church to believe?
AP investigators examined lists released by Catholic dioceses across the country, of clergy “credibly accused” of child sexual abuse. “An AP analysis found more than 900 clergy members accused of child sexual abuse who were missing from the lists,” the news agency reported.
One former priest in Iowa, who had served time in prison for sex offenses, was placed on that diocese’s list only after the AP asked why his name had been missing. A church official blamed the omission on “an oversight.”
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