The Baltimore-based Xaverian Brothers recently released a list of 34 members who have been accused of sexually abusing children.
The list includes two men with “a credible or established offense against a minor” who are currently members of the religious order; 18 deceased or former Xaverian Brothers with “a credible or established offense;” and 14 other deceased or former members of the religious order for whom there is a “reasonable possibility” an alleged offense occurred.
The sexual abuse charges are particularly troubling because the Xaverian Brothers are focused almost exclusively on educating young people. The order sponsors a network of 13 Roman Catholic secondary schools, teaching more than 13,000 students.
Dioceses Reveal Abusers’ Names, But Few Details
Bishops across the U.S. started publishing lists such as the Xaverian Brothers’ list following an August 2018 Pennsylvania Grand Jury report which accused 301 priests of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses. Prominent among those lists:
- Bishops in Texas named nearly 300 priests credibly accused of abuse in January 2019;
- A month later, bishops in New Jersey published the names of nearly 200 clergy accused of sexual abuse;
- That same month, the archbishop of Hartford, CT named 48 priests then offered a series of masses in which he begged for forgiveness;
- Finally in April 2019, the Archdiocese of New York – one of the largest archdioceses in the country – published a list of 120 clergy members accused of sexual abuse.
While many victims have welcomed publication of these lists, others have denounced the church’s refusal to adopt any kind of formal standard for disclosing the names of abusing members of the clergy. Some have also criticized the lists for providing few details about the nature of the abuse allegations or how the church responded to them.
There is also the issue of priests or brothers that are members of Catholic religious orders, which have been inconsistent in identifying alleged sexual abusers among their members.
Are You a Victim of Abuse?
While the church has made some effort to make abusers’ names public, it’s really up to you to do something if you have been a victim of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy. If so, you should contact the authorities immediately. You should also contact an attorney who can advise you of your legal rights. Our sexual abuse attorneys have successfully handled numerous clergy sex abuse cases. If you are a victim, don’t wait. Call 800-730-7111 today for a free and confidential consultation.
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