'They let it happen': Survivors of Catholic Church sexual abuse react to landmark report

BALTIMORE -- Survivors of sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, like Teresa Lancaster, hope the horrors that unfolded over decades will never happen again.

"They knew and they let it happen. It's true," Lancaster told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren.

Hellgren asked Lancaster if she finally felt like someone in power was listening. 

"I do," Lancaster said. "I know it's just the beginning, but talking to [Attorney General] Anthony Brown today, he has compassion in his heart and justice in his mind. I believe we are finally scratching the surface, and we're going to get justice."

She told WJZ she endured abuse at the hands of Father Joseph Maskell, a story made famous internationally in The Keepers documentary.

 "I'm hoping to help stop it. Stop it for future generations," Lancaster said. "That's my goal." 

The newly-released report names more than 150 priests and others but includes many redactions ordered by the court. 

"When you see those redactions, what is in your heart?" Hellgren asked. 

"It's another hit. It's just another dagger," Lancaster said. 

Jean Hargadon Wehner said she, too, underwent abuse at the hands of Father Maskell. For her, the release of the landmark report is bittersweet. 

"I'm feeling very sad because who in the hell would want to be excited about this horrible stuff that's going to be on these papers," she said.

"There are details of repeated, tortuous, terrorizing, depraved abuse," said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who released the report.

He told WJZ that under current law, he cannot bring charges in many of the cases but wants victims to know he believes them.

"This is something that perhaps hasn't been done… in the sordid history of the Catholic Church in this country. We credit their accounts. We credit their stories. We enter into a conversation and dialogue believing exactly what they say," Brown said.

WJZ asked Brown whether he wishes more information could have been made public free of redactions.

"Our hope was to reveal everything. That was the undertaking of this investigation," he said.

Archbishop William Lori apologized in a statement and said the abuses are "shocking and soul-searing" and acknowledged that "these evil acts did occur." 

He also wrote the church has undergone "radical changes" to make sure it does not happen again.

In a statement, the survivor's group SNAP wrote, "We are in complete awe of the brave victims who came forward to share their tragic experiences with the commission, they join a huge network of survivors who are changing the world and protecting others from these atrocities."

The group also said,  "We are relieved to know that the horrifying experiences of the survivors who spoke openly with investigators and who worried that their efforts would be in vain are now public. We believe disclosing the extent to which the Church went to shield information, and documenting the immense pain that the victims underwent as a result, will do much to ensure that these crimes never occur within the Catholic community in Maryland again."

Attorney General Brown urged victims to report past abuse by members of the clergy by calling his office at 410-576-6312 or emailing report@oag.state.md.us.

In:
• WJZ Investigates
• Maryland
• Catholic Church