700 priests, deacons removed from ministry since 2002 in abuse cases

Published: 2004-03-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- About 700 priests and deacons have been removed from ministry nationwide in the last two years because they were implicated in sexual improprieties, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported Feb. 27. Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., said in a statement that about 700 priests and deacons "have been removed in Catholic dioceses since January 2002." The statement came out the same day that two independent reports on clerical sexual abuse were made public. One study catalogued the number of cases and how they were handled, and the other analyzed the causes and atmosphere surrounding how abuse accusations were handled. Bishop Gregory said the 700 number is included in the figure of 4,392 clergymen, nearly all priests, who were accused of abusing 10,667 people since 1950. The number of permanent deacons accused was 41, about one-quarter of 1 percent of the permanent deacons ordained during the period. The number is so small that the survey includes the figure in the overall total for priests.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .