D.C. archdiocese releases a list of accused clergy

WASHINGTON >> Four days after Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl amid criticism of his handling of clerical sex abuse, Washington’s archbishop released a list of 31 members of the clergy who had been “credibly accused” of abusing minors dating back 70 years.

Wuerl included the list in a letter to clergy, calling the move “a necessary step toward full transparency and accountability and the process of healing.”

None are in active ministry. Eighteen of the clergy had been arrested, and 13 were never arrested. Of those not arrested, five were listed in a publicly searchable

database of accused priests. Fourteen of the 31 men are still alive.

The letter names of 28 clergy members of the archdiocese and three priests who were part of religious orders, or independent communities.

The letter states that “there has not been an incident of abuse of a minor by a priest of the archdiocese in almost two decades.” It does not say how recently accusers came forward, how many victims were abused by priests, nor whether all cases were taken to civil authorities.

Archdiocesan spokesman Ed McFadden said about six of the names had not been made public before, but it was not clear how widely publicized abuse allegations were against the remaining priests.

Some were arrested, including Raymond Callahan, convicted in 1971, and Francis Benham, whose abuse was first reported in 1979 and who was arrested and convicted in 2005. One priest, Thomas Lyons, was not reported as an abuser until after he had already died.

One accused priest, Paul Twiddy, whose alleged abuse was first reported in 1965, remained active in ministry on and off for decades. Twiddy returned to ministry in 1968, was reported again in 1971, returned to limited ministry in 1980 and retired in 1986. He died in 2009.

McFadden called the list a first step and said the process of releasing all information related to abuse “will take months.”