The Maryland Province Jesuits released on Monday a list of several priests who have been “credibly accused” of sexual abuse of children dating to 1950.
The Catholic order, which is made up of more than 16,000 men worldwide and serves most of the east coast, named five living Jesuits that committed offenses in the province and eight others who are dead.
The lists were published on the province’s website — along with an apology.
“We are deeply sorry for the harm we have caused to victims and their families,” said the letter signed by the Rev. Robert Hussey, the leader of the Jesuit province headquartered in Maryland. “We hope that this disclosure of names will contribute to reconciliation and healing.”
The offenders served in churches, high schools, colleges — including St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and Wake Forest University in North Carolina — and other institutions like MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
The Maryland province said the last known allegation of sexual abuse against one of its priests was in 2002.
“We view the disclosure today of our shameful history as part of our commitment now to preventing abuse,” Hussey wrote. “The Maryland Province employs a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual abuse and reports to civil authorities accusations of sexual abuse involving a minor.”
Part of the Maryland report is categorized by allegations of sex abuse involving a minor that “could not be fully investigated to determine credibility but for which there is a reasonable possibility (semblance of truth) that the alleged offense occurred.”
The five Jesuits who are still alive are listed as living in supervised housing “on a safety plan.” None of them are in active ministry.
The report comes after two other Jesuit provinces — the West and the Central and Southern provinces, which cover nearly half the US — made public the names of more than 150 priests and church leaders earlier this month who were also found to have “credible allegations” of sexual abuse against them.
The Northeast Province, which spans New Jersey to Maine, will publish names on Jan. 15.
The Maryland province also encompasses Washington, DC, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
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