Attorneys claim list of accused Illinois clerics released by Catholic Church is incomplete by about 200 names
Advocates for clergy abuse victims say their list of 395 priests or lay people in Illinois who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing children is far more extensive than the names already released by the state’s six dioceses.
Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Marc Pearlman say the disparity shows church leaders continue to conceal the scope of the clergy abuse crisis.
Advocates for clergy abuse victims say their list of 395 priests or lay people in Illinois who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing children is far more extensive than the names already released by the state’s six dioceses.
Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Marc Pearlman say the disparity shows church leaders continue to conceal the scope of the clergy abuse crisis.
Nearly all of the names that appear in what the attorneys have dubbed the Anderson Report have appeared in some way publicly before but not in a comprehensive list like this. This list includes their histories and accusation made against them and which of the six dioceses in Illinois they had one time served in.
This list contains about 200 more names the Chicago Archdioceses has released. The new list pulls names from lawsuits, news articles and other public sources.
While some of the names are well known for their sexual abuse, many in the report have never been charged, according to the law firm. Anderson said all accusations have been vetted as best they. A majority of the people named are dead. The entire list is published on the attorneys’ website (pdf).
An attorney for the Chicago Archdiocese told the Chicago Tribune it did not include names of priests who died on their list because they could not defend themselves.
Anderson said the names need to made public so survivors of abuse no they are not alone.
Dioceses throughout the state say they have taken major steps to address clergy abuse, including publishing the names of all credibly accused members of the clergy and reporting every allegation they receive to police.
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