Chicago archdiocese releases documents detailing sexual abuse by priests
January 21, 2014 9:31AM
Joe Iacono, left, and Angel Santigao, both abused sexually by priest, listen during a news conference on the release of files of Catholic priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in Chicago. Projested on their clothes are photo of priests identified as sexual abusers. Newly released documents offer the broadest look yet into how one of its largest and most prominent American dioceses responded to the scandal. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Archdiocese of Chicago took steps to conceal sexual abuse by serial abusers, promoted and moved priests with multiple accusations against them and had victims making the allegations investigated, archdiocese documents released Tuesday reveal.
The documents cover abuse allegations against 30 priests that surfaced under the leadership of Cardinals John Cody, Joseph Bernardin and Francis George.
Conspicuously absent in many of the more than 6,000 pages of documents were any signs that many of the allegations were ever immediately reported to law enforcement authorities for their investigation.
Among the revelations in the documents:
◆ Vincent McCaffrey, who was ultimately sentenced to 20 years for child pornography, had been allowed by Bernardin and Cody to remain in ministry and relocate to other parishes after allegations of abuse. McCaffrey ultimately admitted to molesting more than a dozen victims between 1976 and 1990. He wasn’t defrocked until 2010.
January 21, 2014 9:31AM
Joe Iacono, left, and Angel Santigao, both abused sexually by priest, listen during a news conference on the release of files of Catholic priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors in the Archdiocese of Chicago, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in Chicago. Projested on their clothes are photo of priests identified as sexual abusers. Newly released documents offer the broadest look yet into how one of its largest and most prominent American dioceses responded to the scandal. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Archdiocese of Chicago took steps to conceal sexual abuse by serial abusers, promoted and moved priests with multiple accusations against them and had victims making the allegations investigated, archdiocese documents released Tuesday reveal.
The documents cover abuse allegations against 30 priests that surfaced under the leadership of Cardinals John Cody, Joseph Bernardin and Francis George.
Conspicuously absent in many of the more than 6,000 pages of documents were any signs that many of the allegations were ever immediately reported to law enforcement authorities for their investigation.
Among the revelations in the documents:
◆ Vincent McCaffrey, who was ultimately sentenced to 20 years for child pornography, had been allowed by Bernardin and Cody to remain in ministry and relocate to other parishes after allegations of abuse. McCaffrey ultimately admitted to molesting more than a dozen victims between 1976 and 1990. He wasn’t defrocked until 2010.