Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson Petitioned the court to compel the archdiocese of Seattle to release documents related to clerical sexual abuse
May 9, 2024
From the Petition:
"The Washington State Office of the Attorney General (AGO) has opened an investigation into allegations that the Catholic Church has facilitated and attempted to cover up decades of pervasive sexual abuse of children by Church leaders in Washington State." See more here
HEAL OUR CHURCH.ORG ENDORSES ATTORNEY GENERAL INVESTIGATION
HealourChurch.org strongly supports the Attorney General’s investigation into the Catholic dioceses of the state of Washington’s handling of the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal. For too long the faithful have been kept in the dark regarding the ‘how and why’ of this sordid chapter of Church history.
Over four years ago, Heal Our Church approached the Archbishop of Seattle requesting the establishing of an independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission with full access to the records relating to the scandal, yet mindful of the privacy interests of the victims. We were completely stonewalled. Instead, the state’s public attorney has now initiated a review of records that should have been made known to the Church family and survivors of abuse years ago.
As we have believed for years, what entity, purporting to represent the teaching of Our Lord, would not welcome the idea of ‘truth and reconciliation’ – unless there was something to hide or protect? We call on the Church, and its legal representatives, to cooperate fully with the investigation by granting full access to all relevant records, including internal chancery memos, attorney correspondence and financial information. Church members and survivors deserve no less.
It is critical that the ‘chips fall where they may’ with any conclusions of the Attorney General’s work. This is essential for our Church to heal and move on – knowing that we have been told the whole truth with the understanding that steps have been taken to ensure it will not happen again.
Ferguson’s office encourages survivors and their families to call (833) 952-6277 if they have any information that may be helpful to the investigation.