Recent State Investigation of Catholic Priest Child Abuse in Pennsylvania Goes Federal

Thursday, October 18, 2018 the United States Department of Justice became involved in the investigation of the child abuse allegations against Catholic priests in Pennsylvania (Jenkins). A previous state investigation found over 1000 cases of child sexual abuse by 301 Catholic priests within the last several decades (Associated Press). This state report found that church leaders had systematically protected and relocated priests who had been accused of child sexual abuse.

Now, the federal government is investigating the charges and has issued subpoenas to Pennsylvania’s eight dioceses demanding information or evidence, if any, that children had been taken across state lines for illicit purposes, if any sexual images were exchanged electronically, or if any means were taken to cover up or hush previous child abuse incidents (AP). Additionally, the subpoenas call for information about the church’s confidential, secret, and historical files including financial, disciplinary action, and insurance coverage (AP). (For clarification, a diocese is a Catholic district which is supervised by a Catholic Bishop. Also, a subpoena is essentially a summoning to court or an order for information/documentation.) Many of the Bishops have agreed to cooperate by providing the documentation asked of them.

What does this investigation mean for these Pennsylvania priests and bishops? According to the Associated Press, “Legal experts said that if federal prosecutors can show that church leaders systematically covered up for child-molesting priests in the past five years, dioceses could be charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, the federal law originally passed to bring down the Mafia.” Penalties under this act include up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 (RICO Law). More importantly, what do these allegations and investigations mean for other dioceses in America? Already, eleven states have begun investigations similar to those conducted in Pennsylvania. Child abuse investigations have the potential to spread throughout the nation accompanied by lengthy court cases; possible diocese bankruptcy if the church is required to assume a portion of the fine for the crimes committed by its clergy; loss of Catholic Church members due to unfavorable views of their leadership; and increased anxiety toward male church leaders of all religions.

This Pennsylvanian investigation is groundbreaking and marks an even finer line between church and state. For years, these allegations have been kept quiet. Only within the last seven years have cases against a church official for the cover-up of child molestation been taken to court (AP). Time will tell how this federal investigation and other state investigations will affect government involvement and restriction within religion. Already, the Pennsylvanian state legislature has pushed for laws governing allegations against church officials, proposing that child-abuse victims be given “a two year window to sue the church in cases otherwise too old to pursue” (AP).

At this point, the future for the Catholic church, and all other minority religious groups, in America is uncertain. How will the U.S. congress respond to the issues surrounding child sexual abuse have surfaced rather rapidly? How will the Catholic Church handle the cases brought against its clergy? And how will decisions made concerning this investigation, and other church leadership sexual abuse cases, affect other religious groups in America?

What are your thoughts? Please comment below.

 

Works Cited

Associated Press, et al. “Federal Prosecutors Open Clergy Abuse Probe in Pennsylvania.” LEX18.Com, 18 Oct. 2018, 3:28pm, lex18.com/ap-national-news/2018/10/18/federal-prosecutors-open-clergy-abuse-probe-in-pennsylvania/.

Jenkins, Jack. “Federal Government Launches Investigation into Pennsylvania Dioceses.” Religion News Service, Federal government launches investigation into Pennsylvania dioceses.

“RICO Law.” Hg.org, http://www.hg.org/rico-law.html.