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Groups Release Names of Bishops Accused of Abuse Examiner April 14, 2008 http://www.examiner.com/a-1339114~Groups_release_names_of_bishops_accused_of_abuse.html BALTIMORE (Map, News) - When Dave Lorenz went to the Archdiocese of Washington to start a program for survivors of those sexually abused by church officials, he was told not to come back until he was "healed." "How can you get healed without help?" asked Lorenz, 49, of Bowie, who said he was abused by a priest 30 years ago in Kentucky. "You're afraid of the shame and guilt of making the revelation." The archdiocese's rebuff prompted him to join dozens of sexual-abuse survivors and advocates Sunday in front of the U.S. Capitol, where two Catholic Church watchdog groups released the names of 19 U.S. bishops accused of sexual abuse. Lorenz and the groups' leaders said bishops who commit sexual abuse often go unnoticed or without reprimand and other bishops help cover-up allegations of sexual abuse. Of the bishops named, three are active, six are dead and 10 are retired. "Right now, an abusive bishop might be ... befriending a neighbor's child ... and molesting them," said David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "This has to change," said Terry McKiernan, founder of BishopAccountability.org, which published the list. The groups pointed to bishops such as Howard Hubbard, the current bishop of Albany, N.Y., who was accused of paying a teenager for sex in the 1970s. The groups said Hubbard commissioned the investigation against himself. The commission never interviewed the alleged victim and found no evidence of abuse. Many survivors came in support, including Glen Burnie resident Wayne Dorough, who said he was abused by a priest at a Silver Spring church when he was 8 years old. Dorough, 63, would not give the name of the priest or the church, as he has hasn't reported it to the archdiocese. Officials said they hoped the group's message would reach the pope, the only one capable of reforming bishops. List of shame BishopAccountability.org says the following U.S. bishops have credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor: Active bishops Tod Brown, Calif. Howard Hubbard, N.Y. William Skylstad, Wash. Retired Bishops Thomas Dupre, Mass. Louis Gelineau, R.I. Joseph Hart, Wyo. Anthony O'Connell, Fla. George Rueger, Mass. Daniel Ryan, Ill. Lawrence Soens, Iowa Joseph Symons, Fla. J. Kendrick Williams, Ky. G. Patrick Ziemann, La. Deceased bishops Juan Arzube, La. Paul Dudley, S.D. Joseph Ferrario, Hawaii Timothy Harrington, Mass. James Rausch, Minn. Christopher Weldon, Mass. Contact: jflanagan@baltimoreexaminer.com |
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