| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"BLUERHYMER" |
| Date: |
01 Nov 2004 04:09:13 AM |
| Object: |
2,600 Roman Catholic priests-sexual misconduct |
Boston Globe
Home News Nation
National list of priests to be online after lawyer's research
By Associated Press, 10/31/2004
DALLAS (AP) A lawyer has compiled a list of 2,600 Roman Catholic priests
nationwide who have been accused of sexual misconduct against children and
plans to post it online by early next year.
Sylvia Demarest, a Dallas lawyer, and her staff spent 11 years on the list,
which a victims' rights advocate says may encourage those who were abused to
come forward.
''This is just a huge public service,'' said David Clohessy, executive director
of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. ''I'm thrilled it will be in
good hands and will be accessible, and won't sit idly on a shelf.''
He said those with questions about backgrounds of individual priests can use
the list for research.
Demarest said the database of alleged ''priest perpetrators'' and other
Catholic officials who have been accused of sexually abusing children was
assembled from public sources, such as court filings and media reports. The
entries will list names of those accused and the time, place and nature of the
alleged misconduct as well as whether a lawsuit or criminal charges resulted.
It is believed to be the only database of national scope that identifies
individual priests. Demarest said she started working on it in 1993 while
representing clients molested by a Dallas priest.
The church has no database.
''There is a difference of opinion among the bishops as to whether one should
be maintained at the national level. That has not been resolved,'' said
Kathleen McChesney, executive director of the Office of Child and Youth
Protection for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
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