CHICAGO – When will the nightmare of hell end in the Catholic Church? Attorneys have released thousands of files from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet they allege show a pattern of minimizing and sometimes covering up sexual abuse by priests.
Jeff Anderson’s law firm released documents Wednesday on 16 priests. He says they indicate that leaders of the Chicago-area diocese put a priority on “protecting themselves and their priests at the peril of children.”
He adds the diocese refuses to disclose the whereabouts of more than 20 former priests accused of abuse and who could still harm children. Anderson says the diocese put up “great resistance” to turning over the files as part of civil litigation.
A statement from the diocese released Wednesday didn’t mention the documents. It said “the diocese will continue to do its best to assure the safety of its children.”
