Seattle Archdiocese Issues Names of 77 Child Sex Abusers from Within Clergy

The Archdiocese of Seattle issued an apology along with a list of priests, brothers and deacons, and one sister, who abused minors.

The Archdiocese of Seattle has released the names of 77 clergymembers who are also sex offenders who've served or lived in Western Washington in the last few decades.

In a letter dated Jan. 15, Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain apologized for the abuse committed by the priests, brothers and deacons, and at one sister on the list

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According to the Associated Press, the list--which took almost two years to compile and includes clergy who served in the area or lived there between 1923 and 2008--includes cases where allegations of child sex abuse have been admitted, established or determined to be credible.

"I express my deepest apologies for the actions of those who were in positions of trust and
who violated that sacred trust by abusing the vulnerable in their care," Archbishop Sartain wrote.

"Our work in this area will not be complete until all those who have been harmed have received assistance in healing, and until the evil of child sexual abuse has been eradicated from society."

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However, one lawyer who's helped settle over 150 claims against the Seattle Archdiocese--including claims against people on the list--told the AP the Archdiocese hasn't gone far enough.

Attorney Michael T. Pfau said that, for "true transparency," the Archdiocese needs to release the files and secret archives he says they've kept on the offenders.

"Releasing the files allows abuse survivors to begin to understand how it happened, which can be another important step toward finding closure," he said. "It also helps the general public to understand the magnitude of the problem, and to ensure this never happens again."

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