Indiana bishop will release
list of accused abusers in his diocese
Bishop
Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, IN (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
Bishop Rhoades said victims
should see the names of their abusers made public 'for all to see'
A bishop in Indiana has said he
will collect and release a list of the names of priests in his diocese who are
accused of sexual abuse.
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort
Wayne-South Bend called the details of the Pennsylvania grand jury report
“equally appalling and heart-breaking.” He expressed sympathy and support to
the victims and their families, adding: “The Church failed you. For that, I
apologise.”
He emphasised that during his
tenure as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend he has released the name of every
priest removed from ministry as a result of a credible allegation of sexual
abuse of a minor.
He said he has learned, as a
result of the grand jury, that it also important that victims see the names of
their abusers made public “for all to see. For everyone to know the pain caused
by these priests.”
“It is my hope,” he said, “that
by releasing these names, the innocent victims of these horrific and
heart-breaking crimes can finally begin the process of healing.”
The list will be compiled
beginning immediately. In closing, Bishop Rhoades reiterated the diocese’s
efforts to regain the trust of the those it serves, and indicated a renewed
vigilance regarding its efforts to protect young people.
The grand jury report on the six
Pennsylvania dioceses included Harrisburg where he was bishop from 2004 to
2009.
He said in an earlier statement
that the report “mentions two incidents during my time as bishop of the Diocese
of Harrisburg.”
“In both of those situations,”
he added, “I followed all child protection policies and procedures, notified
law enforcement, and took other action as appropriate, since each of the
accused priests had already been removed from public ministry due to previous
allegations.”
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