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Diocese of Charlotte to name priests with sexual abuse allegations after review

By Paul Boyd
By Paul Boyd

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte's diocese is promising to follow new guidelines from the Vatican as it handles accusations of sex abuse within the church.

The diocese said Monday that by the end of this year it will release a list of all clergy who have faced credible accusations.

These are not new allegations.

Channel 9 has been pushing for that list for the past year.

[The Latest: Pope makes reporting child sex crimes mandatory]

An official announcement from the bishop said we will soon know the answer to a very important question: “Has the Diocese of Charlotte done enough to protect children from abuse since it was founded 47 years ago?”

Bishop Peter Jugis leads the Diocese of Charlotte, which includes dozens of Roman Catholic churches throughout our region.

Past coverage

"I do not understand the delay, but I appreciate the effort," abuse survivor Rene Anctil said.

Anctil was confirmed to have been abused when he was a child by a Catholic priest in Boston.

"I'm glad that are at least being proactive and going to make it public,” Anctil said. “The sad part is he's had all the information for years."

The review of allegations in Charlotte date back to 1972 when the diocese was founded.

[ALSO READ: Advocates for abuse victims demand names of area priests accused of sexual misconduct]

The public will then learn the names of any clergy found to be credibly accused.

The Diocese of Charlotte said new procedures announced last week by Pope Francis for reporting suspected child sexual abuse are already in place there.

The edict from the pope has been criticized for not requiring Catholic leaders to report abuse allegations to police.

"They should be reported to the authorities and the authorities only," Anctil said.

The review will look at abuse claims dating back to 1972. Jugis said he's been fully transparent since he took over in 2002.

Jugis issued the following statement:

“The Diocese of Charlotte welcomes new procedures announced last week by Pope Francis for reporting suspected child sexual abuse, conducting investigations and protecting victims and whistleblowers, which include a number of measures already in place here in Charlotte.

“The new measures apply to the Catholic Church worldwide beginning June 1 and largely reflect comprehensive steps taken in 2002, when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Among other measures, the 2002 Charter mandated zero tolerance of abuse, outreach to victims, reporting allegations to civil authorities and lay expertise on review boards that advise bishops in cases of abuse.

“In addition, the Diocese of Charlotte has been conducting a comprehensive review of our historical records to search for any allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy who have served in the Charlotte diocese since its inception in 1972. Any allegations discovered in these historical files have and will be forwarded to our Lay Review Board for evaluation and/or further investigation. And, just as we have done since I became bishop in 2003, the names of any clergy found to be credibly accused by the Board in consultation with me will be made public and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

“This process of reviewing personnel files and other historical records was set in motion last fall, upon recommendation by the Review Board and in consultation with me and other diocesan leadership. To ensure this research is thorough, it is difficult to predict exactly when this process will be complete, however, the diocese is committed to finishing the investigation and publishing a list of credibly accused clergy before the end of the year. Through my discussions with abuse survivors, I have come to believe that a full airing of abuse from the past is crucial in the healing process for victims and for the entire Church.

The Holy Father’s message is clear: We are all called to holiness, to a “continuous and profound conversion of hearts… attested by concrete and effective actions that involve everyone in the Church.” Please join me in continuing to pray for healing for all victims of sexual abuse.”

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