“Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades. Monsignors, auxiliary bishops, bishops, archbishops, cardinals have mostly been protected; many, including some named in this report, have been promoted,” the report read.
The grand jury described the church’s methods as “a playbook for concealing the truth” after FBI agents identified a series of practices they found in diocese files.
In 1993, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, then bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, coined the term “circle of secrecy” to describe the methods in place to protect accused members of the church, according to the report.
Playbook for Covering Up Clergy Sexual Abuse
This included downplaying accusations of rape and molestation with euphemisms like “horseplay” and “wrestling,” transferring accused priests around the country or placing them on “health leave” while keeping them on the church payroll—at times to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.
The grand jury accused Cardinal Wuerl, who now leads the Washington archdiocese, of helping to protect abusive priests. He defended his role in the church at the time.
“While I understand this report may be critical of some of my actions, I believe the report confirms that I acted with diligence, with concern for the victims and to prevent future acts of abuse,” the archbishop said in a statement before the grand jury was released. “I sincerely hope that a just assessment of my actions, past and present, and my continuing commitment to the protection of children will dispel any notions otherwise made by this report.”
The report was released in a Tuesday news conference that began with a short video of three victims who told how they were abused and how it changed their lives.
An 83-year-old man said he couldn’t show any affection to his wife and children as a result of the abuse he suffered. “Who would have believed me? A priest, in 1948 or ‘47, would abuse you?”
A woman said the abuse started when she was 18 months old. Another man said, “When you have the priest touching you everyday, that’s a hard memory to have. The first erection that you have is at the hands of a priest.”
The victims said this was “not a vendetta against the church” and that abusers have “to be accountable in the church for what they did.”
No Charges for Many Accused of Clergy Sexual Abuse
In nearly all of the cases, the statute of limitations has run out, meaning criminal charges cannot be filed. More than 100 of the priests are dead, and many others are retired or have been dismissed from the priesthood or put on leave.
Tim Lennon, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urged Pennsylvania lawmakers to lift civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sex crimes, and to provide victims who no longer meet the age requirements in state law with a new window to file civil lawsuits.
