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Clerical abuse cases cost US Church $2.49 billion since 2004

With over a billion dollars laid out in the past year alone, the US Church is paying heavily for the recent spate of clerical abuse cases.
Clerical abuse cases cost US Church $2.49 billion since 2004
Published: April 12, 2012 05:00 AM GMT
Updated: April 12, 2012 05:01 AM GMT

The clerical abuse scandal cost American dioceses $108,679,706 in 2011, according to an report released on April 10 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Only 57% of those funds were allotted to settlements ($50.4 million) and therapy for abuse victims ($6.1 million); the rest was spent on attorneys’ fees ($36.7 million), support for offenders ($9.9 million), and other costs ($5.6 million), according to the 2011 “Report on the Implementation of the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People.” The scandal cost religious institutes an additional $35,372,010 in 2011. These expenses brought the total cost to American dioceses and religious institutes between 2004 and 2011 to $2,488,405,755: $2,129,982,621 for dioceses and eparchies, and $358,428,134 for religious institutes. During 2011, 21 minors alleged they were abused by a priest or deacon. The report found that seven allegations “were considered credible by law enforcement; three were determined to be false, five were determined to be boundary violations, and three are still under investigation.” During 2011, 683 adults also alleged that they had been abused by a priest or deacon in the past. “Allegations were made against 551 priests and seven deacons,” the report stated. “Of the accused clerics, 253 are deceased, 58 had already been laicized, 184 have been removed from ministry, and 281 had been named in previous audits.” Full Story:Abuse scandal's total cost: $2.49 billion since 2004Source:CatholicCulture.org

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