Are These Clergy Complicit?
For bishops who knew about sexual predators but concealed their abuse, the cover-up is worse than the crime. Why? Because these bishops enabled predators to continue their abuse, ruining the lives of additional people. Bishops have special oversight responsibilities. If they even suspect that a cleric may be guilty of sexual abuse, they have a duty to conduct an investigation. Failure to do so suggests a lack of either competence or moral integrity to continue to hold the office of bishop.
Below is a partial list of bishops who likely had knowledge of sexual predators (click on the bishop to get the details). Only living bishops are included on this list. Additional names will be added as new information comes to light. If you have direct knowledge of evidence that suggests a bishop has been involved in the cover-up of sexual abuse, please share your evidence here.
To be clear, we cannot judge these men. As faithful lay Catholic leaders, however, we can assemble the facts that can then be adjudicated by the rightful authority to determine a bishop’s accountability. However, those responsible in any way for allowing predators like Theodore McCarrick to continue their abuse must immediately publicly confess their responsibility and resign their office. Retired bishops should be required to be commit to a solitary life of prayer and penance for the remainder of their days.
