Clergy Abuse Report

Massachusetts Attorney General Report Details Decades of Clergy Child Abuse Across Dioceses

A report by the state attorney general has revealed that over 270 Catholic clerics abused nearly 1,000 children over a century across three Massachusetts dioceses. The three diocheses, Fall River, Springfield and Worcester, were found to have known priests and church personnel sexually abusing children but failed to prevent it or examine institutional failures. The report also found that the diocleses allowed priests to stay in ministry for years despite reports of abuse. Sometimes, they suspended priests without informing parishioners or other priests. The church also fell short of child protection practices such as training, investigation, supervision and record-keeping.

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