The inquiry is believed to be the first statewide investigation by the federal government of the church’s sex abuse scandal. “This subpoena is no surprise considering the horrific misconduct detailed in the statewide grand jury report,” the Diocese of Greensburg said in a statement. The attorneys general in at least a dozen other states, including New York, New Jersey and Florida, have said they will investigate possible sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The attorney general, Barbara Underwood, has said she was inspired by the Pennsylvania report. Bishops have mostly pledged cooperation, and in some cases, the announcement of a government inquiry has followed voluntary disclosures of abuse by church leaders.

Source: The Irish Times October 19, 2018 06:29 UTC