Kamil Kurzaczyski/AFP/Getty Images
Holy Name Cathedral is home to the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Attorney General’s investigation has identified 275 clerics and religious suspects of abuse within the archdiocese.
CNN
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More than 450 adult Catholic clergy in Illinois abused about 2,000 children over nearly 90 years, according to a report released Tuesday by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raul.
“This report reveals the names and detailed information of 451 Catholic clergy and religious who abused at least 1,997 children in every parish in Illinois,” Raoul said in the report. I wrote in the attached message.
As a result of the investigation, 275 in the Archdiocese of Chicago, 43 in Belleville, 69 in Joliet, 51 in Peoria, 24 in Rockford, and 32 in Springfield have identified clergy and religious suspected of abuse. identified. Some of the abuse suspects worked in multiple parishes, the report said, adding up to a total of 451 “individual” suspects.
The report identified 149 perpetrators previously undisclosed by the parish, and alleges that the parish continued to disclose suspected perpetrators during the investigation.
The report includes detailed reports of sexual abuse allegations and a list of accused clerics. The report concludes with recommendations calling for a more unified and coordinated investigation into sexual abuse within the Illinois Church, greater consideration for survivors, and an update to the public disclosure of abuse suspects in the parish. ing.
Eileen T. Messler/Chicago Tribune/AP
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raul speaks about the firm’s May 23, 2023 Chicago Clergy investigation into child sexual abuse.
Cardinal Blaise J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, issued a statement to CNN on Tuesday, detailing his “concerns” over the findings, saying all the names revealed in the report were already known to the church and had been made public. rice field.
In a statement provided to CNN, Rockford Parish apologized for “the pain endured by survivors of childhood sexual abuse victims,” and was the only parish to find no additional names requiring public disclosure in its report. He pointed out that it was Ford Parish.
The report “serves as a reminder that some members of the Church’s clergy committed shameful and dishonorable crimes against innocent victims and survivors, causing irreparable harm.” Springfield Parish said in a statement.
In a statement, Bishop Michael McGovern of Belleville detailed the diocese’s approach to child sexual abuse and said, to the best of his knowledge, the person accused of being a credible abuser is not currently working in the diocese.
Peoria Parish said in a statement emailed to CNN on Tuesday that the community has “implemented important changes that will make the church safer for children.”
CNN reached out to Joliet Parish for comment.