HARRISBURG (PA)
The Associated Press
August 14, 2018
By Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, says he expects a grand jury report being released Tuesday on the sexual abuse of children by clergy in six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses to be critical of his actions as the former longtime bishop of Pittsburgh.
Wuerl wrote to priests late Monday, defending himself ahead of the release of a roughly 900-page report that victim advocates call the largest and most exhaustive such review by any U.S. state.
Wuerl contended that he acted diligently to protect children while bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years through 2006.
Despite the criticism of his actions in the report, Wuerl said he hopes “a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report.”
Court records in a largely secret, months-long legal fight over the report indicate it identifies more than 300 “predator priests” and that grand jurors accuse church leaders of brushing aside victims to protect abusers and church institutions.
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