Grace Thompson
Catholic priests and other clergy members have been accused of sexual abuse in several states across the US. In Missouri, an investigation found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors. Following the investigation, 12 former clergy members were referred for criminal prosecution. This is the most referrals for prosecution made by an attorney general since states began widespread investigations of Catholic dioceses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of priests or clergy members accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors | 163 |
| Number of priests or clergy members referred for criminal prosecution | 12 |
| Number of priests or clergy members dead | 83 |
| Number of cases outside Missouri's statute of limitations for prosecution | 46 |
| Number of cases under investigation by the Catholic Church | 1 |
| Number of cases investigated by local prosecutors | 5 |
| Number of cases previously referred for criminal prosecution | 16 |
| Number of clergy members with "substantiated" allegations of sexual abuse of children in the St. Louis investigation | 61 |
| Number of priests in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau with credible accusations of sexual abuse of children | 16 |
| Number of church officials in the Diocese of Jefferson City with credible accusations of sexual abuse of children | 35 (30 priests and 5 members of a religious order) |
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What You'll Learn
- Missouri attorney general refers 12 Catholic ex-clergy for prosecution
- A 329-page report details the investigation into the Missouri Catholic Church
- The Catholic Church has been criticized for protecting abusers over victims
- A grand jury in Pennsylvania found church leaders covered up abuse by 300 priests
- More than 6,000 Catholic clergy members accused of abuse in the United States
Missouri attorney general refers 12 Catholic ex-clergy for prosecution
On September 13, 2019, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt referred 12 former Catholic priests for criminal prosecution on charges of sexual misconduct with minors. This was the highest number of referrals for prosecution made by an attorney general since states began widespread investigations of Catholic dioceses. The investigation, which lasted a year, found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors.
Schmitt released a 329-page report detailing his office's investigation, which included interviews with victims and a review of personnel records dating back to 1945 of more than 2,000 priests and 300 deacons, seminarians, and religious women. The report also listed recommendations for the Catholic Church, including assuming greater oversight and responsibility for visiting priests.
Of the 163 accused clergy members, one case was under investigation by the church, five were already being investigated by local prosecutors, 16 had been referred for criminal prosecution in the past, 83 were dead, and 46 cases had fallen outside of Missouri's statute of limitations for prosecution.
Some specific cases of the 12 ex-clergy referred for prosecution include:
- A priest who shared a bed on "numerous instances" with young children before the diocese placed him on leave in 2016.
- A priest who engaged in "unwanted and inappropriate hugging and kissing" of an elementary school-aged child and was allowed to return to ministry after the allegation was reported in 2015. This priest left the country in 2019.
- A priest who was removed from and then returned to the ministry several times in the 1990s over "boundary" violations against elementary school-aged children, including unwanted touching.
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A 329-page report details the investigation into the Missouri Catholic Church
In 2019, a 329-page report was released by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, summarising the results of an extensive investigation into the Missouri Catholic Church. The report detailed the sexual abuse of minors by members of Missouri's four Roman Catholic dioceses, a scandal that had been ongoing for decades. It was found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors.
The investigation examined the personnel records of every Missouri-area priest who served at a state diocese as far back as 1945. It was discovered that the church had refused to acknowledge the victims and instead protected the accused priests. Mr Schmitt referred 12 clergy members for prosecution, including a priest who shared a bed with young children on several occasions before being placed on leave in 2016.
The Missouri Catholic Church investigation is not an isolated case, as similar scandals have been exposed across the United States and internationally. For instance, in Michigan, a landmark report revealed that almost 50 Catholic priests were accused of historical sexual misconduct dating back to the 1950s. The Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel, expressed remorse and apologised to the victims and their families, who suffered due to clerical sexual abuse.
The Missouri investigation also followed a report from Pennsylvania, which found evidence that at least 1,000 people, mostly children, had been sexually abused by around 300 clergymen over 70 years. The true scale of the abuse may be even higher, as suggested by the report. The exposure of these cases has led to lawsuits and investigations, causing dioceses to declare bankruptcy and damaging the moral authority of the Catholic Church's leadership.
It is important to note that the presumption of innocence applies to individuals accused of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law. The Missouri priest sex abuse list is not exhaustive, and new information about sexual abuses and assaults by priests and clergy members may continue to emerge.
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The Catholic Church has been criticized for protecting abusers over victims
The Catholic Church has faced widespread criticism for its handling of sexual abuse cases involving members of its clergy. In the United States, there have been numerous reports of sexual abuse and assault of minors by Catholic priests and clergy members. In Missouri, for example, an investigation found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors. Despite these allegations, the church has been accused of failing to acknowledge the victims and instead focusing on protecting the accused priests. This criticism was echoed by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who referred 12 Catholic clergy members for prosecution, stating that the church had refused to acknowledge the victims and instead protected the accused priests.
Similar allegations have emerged from other states in the US, including Michigan, where almost 50 Catholic priests were accused of historical sexual misconduct dating back to the 1950s. The Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel, expressed dismay at the extensive allegations, which included abuse of children and adults. These cases are not isolated incidents, as there have been multiple reports of Catholic clergy sexual abuse in various countries, including Canada, Chile, Australia, Ireland, Europe, and South America.
The Catholic Church has been criticized not only for the abuse itself but also for its alleged cover-ups and failure to cooperate with judicial proceedings. In 2021, a team of UN special rapporteurs criticized the Vatican, citing persistent allegations of obstruction and a lack of cooperation with domestic judicial proceedings. This criticism was echoed by victims' groups, who argued that the Vatican had not done enough to address past wrongs. The Church has also been accused of failing to report abuse to law enforcement and allowing abusers further contact with children, hindering efforts to protect potential victims and bring abusers to justice.
While some efforts have been made to address the issue, critics argue that they are insufficient. Pope Francis, for instance, has been criticized for not doing enough to hold accountable bishops who allegedly covered up abuse. Although he called for "decisive action" when elected in 2013 and wrote a letter condemning clerical sex abuse in 2018, his actions have been seen as inadequate by some. In contrast, his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, forced the disgraced Father Marcial Maciel, who had sexually abused minors, to retire from the ministry in 2006. However, Pope Benedict himself faced accusations of failing to protect children and suppressing investigations, which he denied.
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A grand jury in Pennsylvania found church leaders covered up abuse by 300 priests
In 2018, a grand jury in Pennsylvania found that church leaders covered up abuse by over 300 priests. The report revealed widespread sexual abuse in six of the state's eight Roman Catholic dioceses, with more than 1,000 identifiable child victims. The grand jury described a "systematic cover-up" and a "failure of law enforcement", and called for an end to the shielding of child sexual predators by the church and law enforcement.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, expressed his dissatisfaction with the redacted report released by the state's Supreme Court, stating that "every redaction represents an incomplete story of abuse that deserves to be told". The report detailed a pattern of abuse that has never been seen "on this scale", with abusive priests being moved around by church leaders to avoid scrutiny and protect the reputation of the church.
The investigation into the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is part of a broader series of inquiries into clerical sexual abuse in the United States. Previous grand juries had examined the Philadelphia and Altoona-Johnstown dioceses, and the new report added the dioceses of Erie, Allentown, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton to the list. Despite the shocking revelations, many of the crimes are too old to be prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, and those clergy members named in the report are not expected to face criminal charges.
The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for over 15 years, with allegations emerging from Boston in 2002. The church has paid billions in settlements and implemented new prevention programs, but the scandal has continued to escalate, reaching the highest ranks of the church's leadership. While some institutional reforms have been made, individual leaders of the church have often avoided public accountability, and in some cases, have even been promoted despite their involvement in the cover-up.
In Missouri, a separate investigation found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt referred 12 cases for prosecution, expressing his belief that the number of referrals was unprecedented. While the investigations in Pennsylvania and Missouri have shed light on the extent of clerical sexual abuse, they also highlight the need for further reform and accountability within the Catholic Church and the legal system's response to such cases.
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More than 6,000 Catholic clergy members accused of abuse in the United States
In the United States, there have been numerous accusations and reports of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy members. The Associated Press discovered that 900 clergy members accused of child sexual abuse were not on the lists published by various dioceses and religious orders. According to AbuseLawsuit.com, there are records of more than 6,000 Catholic clergy members accused of abuse in the US, with this number likely being an underestimation due to the reluctance of some victims to come forward.
In Missouri, Attorney General Eric Schmitt referred 12 Catholic clergy members for prosecution, stating that "sexual abuse of minors by members of Missouri's four Roman Catholic dioceses has been a far-reaching and sustained scandal". Investigations in the state found that 163 priests or clergy members were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors. Merson Law has compiled a list of Roman Catholic priests and clergy members in Missouri accused of sexual abuse, known as the Missouri Priest Sex Abuse List. However, it is noted that this list is not exhaustive as new information comes to light.
In Michigan, a landmark report by the state's attorney general, Dana Nessel, accused 56 people, including 48 priests, of historic sexual misconduct dating back to the 1950s. The report was based on interviews with survivors, open-source media, public tips, and computer files from the Diocese of Lansing. Investigations into clerical sexual abuse are ongoing in other parts of Michigan, with reports already published in Gaylord, Marquette, and Kalamazoo.
The Catholic Church has faced widespread criticism for its handling of sexual abuse cases. In 2008, the Church acknowledged that the scandal was a severe problem, estimating that it affected "no more than 1 percent" or about 5,000 of the 410,000 Roman Catholic priests worldwide. However, critics argue that the Church has prioritized the rights of accused clergy over those of the victims. The U.S. dioceses have received complaints from 17,000 victims, paying about $4 billion in settlements since the 1980s, with this figure expected to double due to recent lookback laws.
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Frequently asked questions
12 former Catholic priests have been referred for criminal prosecution in Missouri.
163 Catholic priests or clergy members have been accused of sexual abuse or misconduct against minors in Missouri.
The Missouri Priest Sex Abuse List is a list of Roman Catholic priests and clergy members of the Missouri Diocese accused of sexual abuse and/or sexual assault of minors. This list is not exhaustive as new information becomes available daily.
The priest sex abuse issue exploded in August 2018 when a grand jury in Pennsylvania released a report finding that church leaders had covered up sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over seven decades. This prompted then-Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley to announce an investigation into potential clergy sex abuse in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
The Dallas Charter is a baseline for sexual abuse reporting, training, and other procedures to prevent child abuse in Roman Catholic dioceses. It was created by U.S. bishops during the first wave of the clergy abuse scandal in the early 2000s.
