The Justice Department’s Investigation of Clergy Sexual Abuse Will Test the Catholic Hierarchy
A new inquiry significantly escalates the involvement of secular authorities.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the Catholic Church’s handling of sexual-abuse allegations in Pennsylvania, according to the Associated Press. At least six of the state’s dioceses have confirmed to various news outlets that they received subpoenas from federal investigators, which likely means they’ll have to produce documents detailing any alleged cases of sexual misconduct, along with efforts to cover up past clergy crimes.
The investigation comes in the wake , which revealedtest the Catholic bishops’ stated resolve to give secular authorities full control and transparency in abuse investigations, as the moral and legal stakes of the crisis continue to grow.
