Report Says 11 Arkansas Priests Accused Of Abuse

According to a report from the Diocese of Little Rock, complaints alleging sexual abuse of minors were made against 11 Catholic priests between 1950 and the 1980s, but none since then. In a report prepared for the U-S Conference of Catholic Bishops and compiled by John Jay College, Bishop J- Peter Sartain said there were 18 victims associated with the allegations. Sartain said most of the accused priests are now dead; none of those still living are in an active ministry now, Sartain said. Sartain said that even one case of sexual abuse of a child or young person is too many. The report was published Saturday in Arkansas Catholic, the diocese`s weekly newspaper. After allegations were made against a number of priests nationwide in 2002, each diocese was asked to check its records for allegations against priests between 1950 and June 2002. Bishops also were asked to report demographic information about their dioceses, including the number of priests who served in their regions during the 52-year period. Sartain said about 540 priests had assignments in the statewide diocese during the period. The figure includes those ordained specifically for the diocese, those ordained elsewhere and later assigned here, and priests from various religious orders. ------ Also as part of the report, the diocese said that it spent about 25-thousand dollars to help provide pastoral and psychological care and support for victims. Sartain said the diocese has never entered into settlements or confidentiality agreements. The 11 priests accused represent about two percent of the priests assigned over the 52 years, and the diocese said the figure matches national statistics for the general adult male population. Sartain said he apologized to all who have been hurt, angered and embarrassed by the scandal. The diocese adopted a formal policy to guard against the sexual abuse of minors in 1992.