BishopAccountability.org
	Claims of Clergy Sex Abuse Rise By Gregg Krupa The Detroit News March 13, 2009 http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090314/LIFESTYLE04/903140395/1409/METRO Majority of new complaints in 2008 were from adults who said incidents occurred decades ago. DETROIT -- Catholic bishops reported Friday that allegations of sexual abuse by clergy rose across the nation last year and most of the claims involved priests who had other sexual complaints against them. Almost all of the 803 new complaints of abuse brought nationally proceed from allegations by adults who said they were abused as children decades ago -- most frequently from 1970-74. The church paid $436 million in settlements, lawyers' fees and other related costs in 2008, a 29 percent decrease from 2007, according to the annual report released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Ned McGrath, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Detroit declined to say whether new complaints had been filed or whether the archdiocese had paid off any claims in civil suits in 2008. "Consistent with the way we have handled these matters under our policy for the past 20 years, we don't share specific details about the resolution of cases and complaints out of respect for the privacy of all involved," McGrath said. "Those who bring these matters to us are under no obligation of confidentiality." According to the report, compliance with a remedial program monitored by both the church and secular officials is high, with 99 percent of people -- church officials, lay workers, priests, administrators and children -- participating in the training. The Archdiocese of Detroit is in full compliance, according to the National Review Board appointed by the bishops. According to the report, some dioceses, or eparchies, including the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle-Chaldean in Southfield, declined to conduct an audit of enforcement and remedial practices. The audits are not mandatory, but the National Review Board urges an expansion of their use. Two of the Chaldean eparchies, including St. Thomas, conducted the audits in previous years. Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim of the local Chaldean church was not available for comment. But Bishop Sarham Jammo of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle-Chaldean in El Cajon, Calif., said Chaldean churches were seeking to reduce the work of staff and save money, in part because neither eparchy has ever received an allegation of abuse. "We are enforcing all of what is needed to be done so that prevention is taken care of as much as is possible," Jammo said. "We just feared that it was a waste of time and money and energy. The main issue is to protect and prevent, and we are doing it. "The proof is in the result, and we have never had an allegation," he said. You can reach Gregg Krupa at (313) 222-2359 or gkrupa@detnews.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.