Following revelations of the over 1,000 documented incidents of sexual abuseperpetrated by hundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania over several decades, attorneys general from six states have announced their intention to make an aggressive effort to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. The New York Times reports:
With Catholics clamoring for more transparency from their church, demanding that bishops release the names of accused priests, civil authorities are beginning to step up to force disclosure.
In the three weeks since the release of the Pennsylvania report, the attorneys general of [New York, New Jersey,] Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska and New Mexico have also said they will investigate sex abuse by Catholic priests in their states and have asked local dioceses for records. Most bishops have been saying they will cooperate.
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The five most Catholic states in the U.S., according to a recent Gallup survey, are all on the East Coast: Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. Rhode Island is 54% Catholic.
ReplyDeleteWhy are Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island not investigating?