Sex abuse claims brought against 700 Catholic clergy in IllinoisBy The Manila TimesCHICAGO: Almost 700 clergymen in Illinois have been accused of child sexual assault, a far greater number than the Catholic Church had previously disclosed, the Midwestern US state’s top prosecutor revealed Wednesday. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said the Church’s revelations that 185 clergy members were credibly accused of sexual abuse fell short of the number her office has uncovered. “The preliminary stages of this investigation have already demonstrated that the Catholic Church cannot police itself,” Madigan said. In October, federal authorities for the first time opened an investigation into clergy abuse. The Catholic Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years, with widespread allegations of coverups.

Source: Manila Times December 20, 2018 03:22 UTC