DALLAS -- Nearly two-thirds of the top U.S. Catholic leaders who knew about accusations of sexual abuse by priests did not suspend the accused clergy from their duties, according to a three-month review by The Dallas Morning News.
The paper's study reveals a broader pattern of abuse that spans decades and continues today. The report's release comes just before U.S. Catholic bishops gather June 13-15 in Dallas to debate a draft policy on abuse (See story: Catholic church considers banning future molesters).
The paper found that:
- 111 of 178 diocese leaders, or bishops, kept accused priests working
- Eight of the 111 are cardinals in U.S. archdioceses
- Bishops from at least 40 states are included
- The bishops ignored warnings of suspicious behavior
- Bishops knew of priests' admissions of wrongdoing, sexual disorder diagnoses, legal settlements and criminal convictions
Church spokesmen did not dispute the study's results, according to the paper. The paper gathered its information from various news sources since the church's sex-abuse scandal broke in January.
