Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Scandal: 7 Excerpts From the Grand Jury ReportA nearly 900-page report investigating abuse in six dioceses over a period of 70 years documents more than 300 abusive priests. By The New York TimesAug. 14, 2018
Leer en español“We, the members of this grand jury, need you to hear this,” begins the
nearly 900-page report released Tuesday by a grand jury that spent two
years investigating reports of sexual abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses
of the Roman Catholic Church over a period of 70 years.The
report, which says there were more than 1,000 identifiable victims and perhaps
thousands more, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency
in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Here
are some excerpts. A litany of disturbing casesThe grand jury members documented a wide variety of abuses by priests and
others within the church, as well as creative ways of covering up or
denying accusations. “Even of those odious stories, some stood out,” the
report reads. AdvertisementThose cases include a priest who the grand jury says raped a 7-year-old girl
while visiting her in the hospital after she got her tonsils out.
Another priest made a 9-year-old boy give him oral sex, “then rinsed out
the boy’s mouth with holy water to purify him.”Image
[Read about the grand jury investigation and the church’s ‘playbook for concealing the truth.’]Criticism of church leadersThe grand jury used strong language to hold leaders of the church accountable for enabling and protecting the abusers. Image
Church leaders frequently protected and sympathized with the abusers, not their victims, the report states. Image
AdvertisementLooking the other wayOne of the cases that the grand jury reports on in great detail involves
the Rev. Edward R. Graff, who served as a priest for 45 years, including
35 in the diocese of Allentown. During his years in ministry, Father
Graff raped scores of children, the grand jury report says. Image
The church had documented numerous reports of Father Graff’s abuse over the
years, the grand jury report says, and yet when they came to light
publicly, the church downplayed and denied its knowledge.Image
In 2002, Father Graff was arrested in Briscoe County, Tex., where he had
continued his ministry, for sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy, the
grand jury report says. He died of injuries from an accident while in a
Texas prison awaiting trial. One family, many victimsAnother case documented by the grand jury involved a priest in the Harrisburg
diocese who was accused of abusing many members of a large family in his
parish during the 1980s. Image
AdvertisementAbusers working togetherThe grand jury reported that it had uncovered a ring of predatory priests
in the Pittsburgh diocese who “shared intelligence or information
regarding victims,” created pornography using the victims, and exchanged
victims among themselves. “This group of priests used whips, violence
and sadism in raping their victims,” the report states.Image
“George still has the cross and it was shown to the grand jury,” the report states.
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