Maryland’s attorney general released some previously redacted names in its staggering report on child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday, but the names of five Catholic church leaders remained redacted amid ongoing appeals, prompting criticism of the church by victims’ advocates.
While the names of the high-ranking church leaders already have been reported by local media, the director of the Maryland chapter of Survivors of those Abused by Priests said he was disappointed, but not surprised that resistance continues to fight against transparency and accountability, despite what church leaders say.
“Once again, it just shows that the Church is not doing what they say they’re doing,” said David Lorenz, the leader of SNAP’s Maryland chapter. “They’re just not. They’re not being open and transparent, and they should be, and they claim to be.”
Lorenz said he questioned whether the names in the report would ever be made public.
“I don’t have a ton of confidence, because the church is extremely powerful and extremely wealthy and they are paying for the lawyers for these officials,” Lorenz said. “We know that. They are paying the lawyers of the officials whose names are still being redacted.”
Continue reading at the Associated Press