OKLAHOMA CITY (OK)
Enid Eagle
February 4, 2019
By James Neal
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is completing a report, scheduled to be released Feb. 28, detailing allegations of abuse by clergy dating back to 1960.
Archbishop Paul Coakley commissioned the report last August through the Archdiocesan Review Board, which was created in 2002 as part of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The charter was established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to address child sexual abuse allegations.
According to an archdiocese press release from last August, the report was commissioned to identify “instances where credible allegations of child sexual abuse were reported, substantiated, prosecuted or admitted to among priests serving in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.”
The process has included a review by the office of Archdiocese Chancellor Michael Scaperlanda of files for every priest who has served in the archdiocese since 1960.
Diane Clay, director of communications for the archdiocese, said the review board will continue examining priests’ files dating before 1960 after the initial report is released. She said the initial report was limited to cases since 1960 to publish those cases “in a more timely fashion.”
Clay said the current review is focused solely on ordained clergy and does not include non-ordained church or school staff members in the archdiocese.
The archdiocese has retained the services of Oklahoma City law firm McAfee & Taft to examine all files containing any allegations of sexual abuse by clergy, Clay said.
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