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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, April 28, 2002

176 Priests Removed in 28 States in US -- Media

At least 176 priests suspected of molesting minors have either resigned or been taken off duty in 28 states and the District of Columbia in US since the clerical sex scandal erupted in January, a nationwide review of Roman Catholic dioceses by The Associated Press found.


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At least 176 priests suspected of molesting minors have either resigned or been taken off duty in 28 states and the District of Columbia in US since the clerical sex scandal erupted in January, a nationwide review of Roman Catholic dioceses by The Associated Press found.

The review also showed that in 18 other states, where priests have not been taken off the job, dioceses still have responded to the crisis in a variety of ways. They include turning over allegations to prosecutors, scouring personnel records to see whether old claims were properly handled, and reviewing and publicizing policies for handling complaints.

In the end, the review found only four states - Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming - where the scandal seems to have had no impact on the way the church operates.

AP reporters across the country interviewed Catholic officials last week about the scandal's impact in their dioceses. The information they collected helps demonstrate how the crisis has developed in just four months.

For instance, bishops have given law enforcement authorities details of claims against at least 260 clergymen. Some of those priests are among those taken off duty but others are long retired, and state attorneys say many of the cases are probably too old to prosecute.

The number of priests disciplined since January may be higher than 176, since several dioceses would not say how many clergy they suspended.

Even if the figure were higher, it would still likely represent less than half of 1 percent of the 46,075 priests in the United States. And many of the complaints come from decades ago. The allegations that prompted Bishop Anthony O'Connell of Palm Beach, Fla., to resign dated from the 1970s, for example.

Yet such cases also support Bishop Wilton Gregory's recent observation that even old complaints are painful and damaging to the church.

Bishops were pressured to disclose details of abuse claims, and hundreds more people came forward to say they had been molested. In California and Massachusetts alone, prosecutors and private lawyers said nearly 550 people have made new allegations of abuse this year.

Church leaders say the dearth of claims that abuse happened recently shows their efforts to prevent molestation are working. Victims, however, wonder why information about old cases is only being revealed now.

They feel it supports their argument that bishops knew of priestly misconduct but failed to disclose wrongdoing until the latest wave of public pressure forced their hands.

Victims also say it's unrealistic to expect children to come forward immediately after they've been assaulted.

Church observers believe the scandal will cool after the U.S. bishops meet in June to vote on new abuse policies. Still, many lawsuits in Boston and other dioceses are winding through the courts. And the reviews by prosecutors and grand juries could lead to more charges.

Gregory said the crisis will only end "when people feel that their kids are safe."


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