Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Philly Archdiocese Suspends 21 Priests on Sex Charges

Move follows grand jury findings last month

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 8, 2011 4:24 PM CST

(Newser) – The Catholic Church in Philadelphia has put 21 priests accused of molesting minors on administrative leave, reports the Inquirer. The archdiocese removed them from ministry after a damning grand jury report last month alleged that abuse remained rampant among local priests—and that the diocese seemed more concerned about covering up allegations than rooting out offenders.

"We understand that accusations are not proof," wrote the grand jury at the time, "but we just cannot understand the archdiocese's apparent absence of any sense of urgency." Archbishop Justin Rigali, who initially disputed the contention that pedophile priests were still in ministry, was more contrite today: "I know that for many people their trust in the Church has been shaken," he said. "I pray that the efforts of the archdiocese to address these cases of concern and to re-evaluate our way of handling allegations will help rebuild that trust in truth and justice."

A file photo of Archbishop of Philadelphia Justin Rigali. (Getty Images)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

CLICK BELOW TO VOTE

61%

15%

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Getty Images

Man Goes to Hospital For Kidney Stone...Leaves a Woman (Huff Post)

Is Chase Crawford Dating a Cougar? (Bleacher Report)

My Boss Walked in on Me Touching Myself, Now He Won't Stop Flirting (Slate)

7 Gross Celebrity Items Sold at Auction (The Week)

The Lowest-Rated Show on TV Is Actually Awesome (Slate)

Partner Links

Sponsor Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 31 comments

Glasswalker

Mar 9, 2011 10:17 AM CST

How can anyone still be willing to call themselves Catholic? How does the shame of it all not eat them up inside? This is a globe-spanning, heinously corrupt organization of power-hungry, delusional mad men who are trying to twist the world to their way of thinking. And they harbor child molesters because they don't want the bad publicity. When are you people just going to wake up and stop letting them do this kind of shit to us and our children?

beckjr2000

Mar 9, 2011 10:10 AM CST

It's bad enough when an archdiocese has one Priest accused of molestation of children, but 21? The Catholic Church in Philadelphia has major management problems and need to be re-organized!

Cameron

Mar 9, 2011 3:58 AM CST

3.As a Christian (not a member of the Catholic Church), sometimes I think it is amazing that Christianity has survived Christians. Ghandi said: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." 4. People sometimes think they have a problem with Jesus, but really they have just been hurt by His followers. I think people are doing themselves a disservice by not attempting to separate the two in their minds- if only for a moment. It is so sad, because His message of love and salvation is for everyone. It is not about the law and rules and condemnation- it is about love and freedom and salvation.

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Rape Conviction Cleared, Thanks to Facebook

Philadelphia Inquirer (Source Grid »)
Associated Press (Source Grid »)

US • Crime & Courts

Catholic Church • Philadelphia • priest sex abuse • Catholic Church sex scandals • pedophile priests

More Newser Stories

Boston Archdiocese Lists Accused Priests

159 clerics on list; 91 others omitted

(NEWSER) - Nearly a decade after a sexual abuse scandal erupted in the Archdiocese of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley has released a list of 159 clerics accused of abusing children. The list was compiled using files that go back as far as 70 years, but the archdiocese has come under fire for omitting the names of 91 other priests, most of whom are now deceased, the Boston Globe reports. The names of priests from religious orders and other dioceses accused of molesting Boston-area children were also omitted. More»

Vatican to Bishops: You Should Report Abusive Priests

...but we won't make you do so

(NEWSER) - In a letter to bishops around the world, the Vatican today stated the importance of cooperating with police in reporting sexually abusive priests—but it does not make such reporting mandatory. The AP calls the suggestions "vague" and "nonbinding," and notes that they fall short of US norms. The Vatican has said such a binding rule would be problematic for priests working in countries with repressive regimes. The letter asks the bishops' conferences to draft abuse prevention guidelines by next May. More»

Alleged Philly Pedophile Priests Still Active

Church hasn't removed most of the 37 mentioned in grand jury report

(NEWSER) - Dozens of priests accused of sexual abuse are still preaching in Philadelphia, even after a scathing grand jury brought their presence to light. A grand jury last month lambasted the Philadelphia Archdiocese for keeping at least 37 priests credibly accused of improper behavior towards minors in positions that would bring them into contact with more potential victims. Three weeks later, most of those priests are still active in the ministry, the New York Times reports. More»

Secret Vatican Edict: Don't Report Abusive Priests

At a later meeting, bishops told to remember they were 'not policemen'

(NEWSER) - The Vatican is scrambling to explain a secret 1997 edict rejecting an Irish Catholic Church proposal to report pedophile priests to the local authorities. The “strictly confidential” document, obtained by Ireland’s RTE television for a new documentary, said that reporting priests might give them grounds to appeal to the Holy See, which would be “highly embarrassing and detrimental.” One Irish bishop called it “a mandate … to conceal the reported crimes of a priest.” More»

Archdiocese of Milwaukee Files for Bankruptcy

Hit stalemate over transparency in sex abuse lawsuits

(USER SUBMITTED) - Overwhelmed by 23 sex abuse lawsuits, the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy yesterday. In so doing, Milwaukee followed seven other dioceses also forced into bankruptcy by the costs of litigating and settling claims against their priests for sexual abuse. The bankruptcy filing followed a failed mediation effort that foundered over the issue of how much the diocese would disclose going forward about sex abuse claims, reports the New York Times . More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Philly Archdiocese Suspends 21 Priests on Sex Charges

Move follows grand jury findings last month

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Catholic Church • Philadelphia • priest sex abuse • Catholic Church sex scandals • pedophile priests

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Boston Archdiocese Lists Accused Priests

159 clerics on list; 91 others omitted

Vatican to Bishops: You Should Report Abusive Priests

...but we won't make you do so

Alleged Philly Pedophile Priests Still Active

Church hasn't removed most of the 37 mentioned in grand jury report

Secret Vatican Edict: Don't Report Abusive Priests

At a later meeting, bishops told to remember they were 'not policemen'

Archdiocese of Milwaukee Files for Bankruptcy

Hit stalemate over transparency in sex abuse lawsuits

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?