HARRISBURG (PA)
The Associated Press
August 14, 2018
The Latest on a grand jury report on clergy abuse in six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses (all times local):
9:30 a.m.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, is defending himself ahead of a forthcoming grand jury report investigating child sexual abuse in six of Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic dioceses.
He says the report will be critical of some of his actions as Pittsburgh’s bishop.
Wuerl wrote to priests late Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s release of the report. He says he acted diligently to protect children while bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years through 2006.
Court records say the report identifies more than 300 “predator priests” and that grand jurors accuse church leaders of brushing aside victims to protect abusers and church institutions.
Wuerl is already dealing with allegations that a predecessor, disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, allegedly sexually abused boys and adult seminarians. He said last month that archdiocesan records showed no complaints about McCarrick.
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