Bishop Zubik To Release List Of Diocese Of Pittsburgh Clergy Members Accused Of Sexual Abuse
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) -- Bishop David Zubik says he will release the names of Diocese of Pittsburgh clergy members who have been accused of sexually abusing minors.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh published a letter from Zubik on Saturday in anticipation of the release of a grand jury report on clergy sex abuse in six Pennsylvania Roman Catholic dioceses.
In the letter, Zubik says the Diocese of Pittsburgh has cooperated with the Attorney General's Office and the grand jury during the investigation, and the Diocese has not attempted to block the report from being released.
The names of priests and others who have challenged the report will be redacted when the report is released. The Supreme Court said the redaction process must be completed by Aug. 8, when the report is expected to be made public.
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Zubik says when the report is made public, the Diocese of Pittsburgh will publicly release the names of clergy from the Diocese who have been accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
"In the past I truly believed that turning these names over to local law enforcement was appropriate and sufficient action. However, the conclusion of the Grand Jury investigation requires a higher level of transparency on our part," Zubik said in his letter.
The letter will be read at all masses in all parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh this weekend.
You can read the letter in its entirety at diopitt.org.
A court filing made public Friday said church leaders in every part of the state "brushed aside" victim complaints to prevent scandals and the grand jury found that several diocesan administrators, including bishops, dissuaded victims from reporting abuse and sometimes pressured law enforcement to end or avoid investigations.
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