Religion

Louisiana Diocese Releases List Of Accused Predator Priests

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The Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles, Louisiana, released the names of 12 diocesan clerics Thursday who were allegedly credibly accused of sexual abuse.

The list included the names of four priests, five members of religious orders from the diocese, one priest who served in the area before it became the Lake Charles diocese and two clerics who appear “on lists of other known perpetrators” but have never had an accusation reported in the diocese. Of those listed, eight have died, two are imprisoned, one is “prohibited from ministry” and another has been “sentenced to a life of prayer and penance.”

JUST IN: Diocese of Lake Charles list of credibly accused clergy https://t.co/Xv7jV2C7JL pic.twitter.com/miyJ7ka6dx

— WAFB (@WAFB) April 11, 2019

Those on the list served in the diocese at some point since its founding in 1980.

“To the best of my knowledge, we have reviewed and acted upon every report we have received,” Bishop Glen John Provost said in a video message posted on the diocesan website.

Provost also clarified in a letter that an ad hoc review board consisting of  “a retired judge, a retired sheriff, and an attorney” compiled the list after reviewing the diocesan files and archives. The bishop noted that since the diocese is relatively new, names on its list may overlap with any list released by the Diocese of Lafayette.

The diocese of Lafayette, which promised to release a list of credibly accused priests on Friday, will be the last of Louisiana’s seven dioceses to release the names of alleged predator priests.