Sins of Omission
How the Catholic Church Shielded Credibly Accused Priests
Since 2018, the majority of U.S. dioceses, as well as nearly two dozen religious orders, have released lists of abusers who served within their ranks. But the lists, compiled into a searchable database by ProPublica, revealed a web of incomplete and often inconsistent information. Our reporting also showed some priests continued to work abroad.
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Credibly Accused
Over the last year and a half, U.S. dioceses and religious orders covering most of the Catholics in the country have released lists of what they regard as “credibly accused” abusers who have served in their ranks. You can search these lists in our interactive database.
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Docenas de sacerdotes católicos con acusaciones creíbles de abuso encontraron trabajo en el extranjero, algunos con la bendición de la Iglesia
La Iglesia Católica permitió que más de cincuenta clérigos basados en los Estados Unidos se mudaran al extranjero tras enfrentar acusaciones creíbles de abuso sexual. Algunos de ellos siguieron trabajando con menores.
Dozens of Catholic Priests Credibly Accused of Abuse Found Work Abroad, Some With the Church’s Blessing
The Catholic Church allowed more than 50 U.S.-based clergy to move abroad after facing credible accusations of sexual abuse. Some continued to work with children.
Readers Say Our Database of Accused Priests Is Incomplete. They’re Not Wrong. Here’s Why.
Since we published a database of Catholic priests deemed “credibly accused” of sexual abuse and misconduct, we’ve heard from dozens of frustrated Catholics and readers who want fuller transparency and more complete lists from the church.
How to Use Our Database to Report on Accused Priests in Your Area
We published a searchable database of nearly 6,000 clergy members deemed credibly accused of abuse. Here’s how to do your own investigation.
We’ve Gotten a Lot of Questions About Our Database of Credibly Accused Priests. Here Are the Answers.
Our database compiles lists of thousands of priests deemed “credibly accused” of sexual abuse and misconduct. Dozens of readers wrote in with questions and suggestions.
Líderes católicos prometieron transparencia con el tema del abuso de menores. No han cumplido.
Tras décadas de proteger la identidad de abusadores sexuales infantiles acusados, y, con el fin de revelarlas al público, muchos líderes de la Iglesia Católica comienzan ahora a divulgar listas con sus nombres. Sin embargo, tales listas son incongruentes e incompletas, u omiten detalles críticos.
We Assembled the Only Nationwide Database of Priests Deemed Credibly Accused of Abuse. Here’s How.
ProPublica’s reporting spanned several months and produced an original database containing each diocesan list as it was originally published online.
Catholic Leaders Promised Transparency About Child Abuse. They Haven’t Delivered.
After decades of shielding the identities of accused child abusers from the public, many Catholic leaders are now releasing lists of their names. But the lists are inconsistent, incomplete and omit key details.
