NEW YORK (AP) — The umbrella organization of Catholic religious orders in the U.S. is suggesting that its members consider voluntarily identifying priests accused of sexual abuse, opening up what could be a major new chapter in the Catholic Church's long-running abuse and cover-up saga.
The invitation to transparency by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men is significant because religious orders such as the Franciscans and Benedictines have largely flown under the radar over two decades of scandal in the U.S. that has focused on abuse by diocesan priests and cover-up by their bishops.
The Associated Press has learned that the conference, which represents about a third of the 37,000 U.S. priests, will formally invite its member orders to consider voluntarily publishing the names of men with an "established allegation" against them.
