Catholic diocese names accused sex abusers

A Pennsylvania Catholic Church diocese on Wednesday named 71 priests and other members of the church accused of child sex abuse. Harrisburg Bishop Ronald Gainer held church leadership responsible for failing to adequately respond to accusations over the years. The diocese said it would strip the names of the bishops who led the church for the past 70 years from all church properties.

The announcement came amid a state investigation into clergy sex abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses. The Harrisburg diocese is the second to publicly release its own findings on abuse ahead of a pending grand jury report. The report has been held up by challenges from priests and former priests, but the state Supreme Court last week said a version with some names blacked out can be released as soon as next week.

The court said it identified more than 300 “predator priests” in the six dioceses. The Harrisburg list includes 37 priests, as well as deacons, seminarians, clergy members from other dioceses, and people from religious communities accused of abuse dating back to 1947.