WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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National fallout from sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic church continues to bring to light to abuse cases in Indiana.
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend published the names of 18 priests today, who the church say have been found ‘credibly accused’ of sexual abuse of a minor.
None of the men are currently ministers for the Catholic Church. Eight are deceased, two incarcerated, and the final eight were dismissed from the clergy.
Today’s report, issued in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend’s publication, Today’s Catholic, comes after the suspension of a retired priest in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, last month. The Archbishop of Indianapolis, Charles Thompson, stated he will also compile a list of clergy members accused of sexual abuse.
The Diocese of Gary released the names of 10 former priests it found guilty of sexually abusing children, last month. The Diocese of Fort-Wayne-South Bend is the second Catholic organization in Indiana to release the names of priests it says have sexually abused children.
Internal investigations have found credible accusations of nearly 30 clergy members in the Catholic church across Indiana. Father John Maung, a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis was suspended on August 29th, after allegations he sexually abused a child decades ago. Maung served in parishes in Indianapolis, Connersville, and Shelbyville.
The outing of sexually exploitative clergy by the Catholic Church comes after a grand jury indictment in Pennsylvania in August. That indictment found more than 300 clergy guilty of sexually abusing more than one thousand children over decades. The national and international crisis in the church has bankrupted 19 dioceses, which have had to come to settlements with victims or pay restitution.
