CNN reported yesterday that the U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to seven of the eight Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania in the wake of a grand jury report on clergy sex abuse since 1947. (See prior posting). Separately, the Justice Department reportedly subpoenaed documents relating to pornography, transporting victims across state lines and cell phone and social media use from the Buffalo diocese in late May.
Meanwhile AP reports that a civil suit was filed yesterday in Illinois federal district court against all six dioceses in Illinois and the Catholic Conference of Illinois charging a continued cover-up of clergy sexual abuse. Specific instances of child sexual abuse are charged against three of the dioceses. The suit seeks damages as well as the public disclosure of all priests that have been accused of sexual molestation.
