CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune
Editorial
January 14, 2014
“Once again, I apologize to all those who have been harmed by these crimes and this scandal, the victims themselves, most certainly, but also rank and file Catholics who have been shamed by the actions of some priests and bishops. Thank you and God bless you.”
— Conclusion of a public letter from Cardinal Francis George to Catholics of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The anguish of victims, the crimes of perpetrators, the humiliation of innocent clerics who’ve been tarred by association — the turbulent legacy of clergy sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Chicago soon will reopen. The archdiocese this week is to release to an attorney for abuse victims the previously undisclosed files of substantiated cases involving 30 current and former priests. Eventually the records will be posted online.
We’ve seen none of these documents and won’t hazard guesses about their contents or the reactions they will stir. By some measures there will not be surprises. The 30 men are among more than 65 priests whose names have been readily available on the archdiocesan website under a damning headline: “Archdiocesan Priests with Substantiated Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Minors.”
One-third of the total number are dead, many others have been removed from the priesthood, and none is now in active ministry, according to an attorney who represented the clergymen’s interests in negotiations that led to the release. An attorney for the archdiocese told the Tribune that 95 percent of the incidents in the records occurred more than 25 years ago, and none occurred since 1996. More recent files involving ex-priest and convicted sex offender Daniel McCormack aren’t included; the archdiocese says a judge has sealed them for upcoming trials.
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