Grand jury report: Archdiocese's policies on sex abuse by priests feeble and ineffective

Midway through the opening page of the latest grand jury report on sexual abuse by Philadelphia priests are four words as damning as any in the 124-page document:

"Much has not changed."

Five years after a previous grand jury vilified archdiocesan leaders for tolerating and protecting abusive priests, the report unsealed Thursday went a step further.

It portrayed changes implemented by the archdiocese since the scandal first unfolded as feeble, ineffective, or even deceptive.

Victims were "virtually hounded" by assistance coordinators, while accused priests weren't confronted, the panel concluded.

The review board designated to hear abuse allegations routinely ignored evidence substantiating those claims, the grand jurors contended. And at least 41 priests were left in active posts around the region after being accused of inappropriate behavior or abuse of minors.

"The evidence presented before us indicates that the Archdiocese continues to engage in practices that mislead victims, that violate their trust, that hinders prosecution of their abusers, and that leave large numbers of credibly accused priests in ministry," the report stated.

In a statement, Cardinal Justin Rigali said he could not address specific allegations until officials reviewed the report. He did, however, assert that "there are no archdiocesan priests in ministry today who have an admitted or established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against them."

Like its 2005 predecessor, the latest report detailed in graphic terms instances of alleged abuse by priests. One case involved a 10-year-old victim who was allegedly "passed around" among two priests and a teacher at St. Jerome's Parish in Northeast Philadelphia in 1998 and 1999.

The report lauded church officials for agreeing to notify law enforcement when it receives a substantiated accusation. It noted that the archdiocese established a review board with civilians to consider abuse allegations and hired victim-assistance coordinators.

But within that structure, the grand jury found flaws that raised questions as to whether some changes were being used to protect victims - or the church itself.

The allegations involving the priests and teacher at St. Jerome's came to light in 2009, the report said. The accuser, identified in the document only as "Billy," said he reported the abuse in a phone call to an archdiocesan victim-assistance coordinator.