Month: February 2019

The first Vatican summit on sexual abuse confirmed that misconduct happens within the Catholic Church and has for decades.  After international pressure, the conference was intended to make steps toward resolving wide-spread abuse among its clergy. Catholic priests and bishops are facing criminal trials across the globe. Currently, 17 states in the U.S. have continued investigations into pedophile priests. But no resolution to this cultural problem within the church has been clearly defined.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General has released a groundbreaking report confirming sexual abuse against 1,000 children from a grand jury investigation. Subsequent investigations in other states confirmed similar criminal misconduct. Only months into 2019, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey, have also named some 300 clergy members who engaged in illegal sexual activities. Mid-Atlantic results add to the growing list of some 1,300 credibly accused American priests in these recent investigations.

The cycle of clerical abuse and subsequent cover-ups by the Catholic Church has been impossible to ignore any longer. Some clergy members in the highest levels of authority have been implicated in covering up what has been described as a culture of sexual abuse of children and others. The outcome of the Pope’s four-day Summit did not provide concrete ways in which the church will stop abuse within its leadership. One thing, however, is clear; the public will not expect the church to police itself in these matters.

Discussions among Catholic Church leadership does not right the wrongs of countless pedophiles within its membership. There is a renewed interest to criminally prosecute pedophile clergy, even for events that occurred decades ago. The Catholic Church and other churches are cooperating by turning over records of reported misconduct. Although some church communities have acknowledged destroying those records, criminal trials are being conducted around the world.

To date, legal action has proved the most effective way victims can hold their abusers accountable. If a clergy member abused you or a loved one, you might be entitled to compensation. Our trusted sexual misconduct attorneys at The Yost Legal Group are available to help hold leadership responsible for their criminal behavior.  Call 1-800-YOST-LAW for a free and confidential discussion about your options for a sexual abuse claim against the Catholic Church.

Accounts of predatory priests and childhood sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church have hurt many populations and continue to affect those in the mid-Atlantic region.  In August 2018, a 1,000-page grand jury report issued after a two-year investigation revealed sexual abuse of children across dioceses in Pennsylvania, and cover-ups from the Vatican. Encouraged by the grand jury report, other states have begun similar reviews of church conduct in their dioceses.

In Maryland, progress has taken place following the September 2018 launch of the Attorney Generals’ involvement to pinpoint sexual abuse by clergy. To date, the state’s office has begun a review of over 50,000 internal files released by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and a list of 30 credibly accused priests from the Maryland Provinces Jesuits. Awareness of wide-spread sexual abuse has also resulted in the creation of The Office of the Attorney General Child Sex Abuse Hotline for Maryland residents. This hotline is a tool for victims to report knowledge of abuse and can be reached at 410-576-6312 or by email at report@oag.state.md.us.

In Pennsylvania, the Catholic Church started the Survivors’ Compensation Program to aid recovery from the 300 predatory priests named in the grand jury report. While not a perfect solution, the church offered opportunities for victims is helpful as legal resolve is sometimes difficult to achieve. Following the state-mandated timeline is the main problem in sexual abuse cases. This Statute of Limitations allows abuse cases to be filed only a few years after sexual abuse happened. As such, many victims of childhood sexual abuse find their Statute of Limitations has expired once they are ready to take legal action. Further, while timeline reform for sexual assault cases is under discussion in many states, it is not yet a reality for all victims.

The question remains if Maryland state prosecutors will institute criminal actions against abusers. It is also uncertain if the Catholic Church will use a similar compensatory program as seen in Pennsylvania. However, the repercussions of the two-year grand jury report have prompted needed investigation around the country. And as victims bravely speak out in hopes of stopping the culture of pedophiles within the Catholic Church, justice seems inevitable.

If a person of power in the Catholic Church has abused you or a loved one, you may be entitled to compensation. Our trusted sexual misconduct attorneys at The Yost Legal Group are available to help hold those in clergy positions responsible for their shocking behavior.  Call 1-800-YOST-LAW for a free and confidential discussion about your options for a sexual abuse claim against the Catholic Church.