https://dmlnews.com/report-nebraska-catholic-diocese-rocked-old-abuse-allegations/
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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — For more than a decade, a conservative Catholic diocese in Nebraska was the only church in the U.S. that refused to participate in annual reviews of sexual misconduct that were a key reform enacted in the wake of the Boston clergy abuse scandal.
the Diocese of Lincoln is now paying the price for its unwillingness to change and lack of transparency.
Accusers have been coming forward in recent weeks with allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by clergy in Nebraska, and the diocese is facing a potential criminal investigation and criticism that it mishandled abusive priests even as it should have been subjected to increased scrutiny after the Boston scandal.
From 2002 to 2015, leaders of the Lincoln diocese refused to participate in annual audits designed to uncover sex abuse allegations and gauge how well church officials were complying with child-protection policies. Church leaders called the audits a pointless endeavor that assumed wrongdoing by the diocese and its priests, but one of the bishops during that period knew of at least two allegations against priests...
“I think the closed nature of the diocese made this worse,” said a member of the Call to Action Group. Even if the audits never revealed anything — and I think they probably would have — it still shows an unwillingness to be open.”
The Nebraska Ag’s office has spoken with at least two accusers and urged others to come forward about abuse in the diocese. Lincoln police are also investigating a priest accused of having an “emotionally inappropriate, non-sexual relationship” with a 19-year-old male altar server that involved alcohol in 2017, church officials said.
A Lincoln police spokesman confirmed the investigation but declined to comment further. On Wednesday, the diocese unveiled a new, anonymous hotline and website to take complaints.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/nebraska-catholic-diocese-rocked-by-old-abuse-allegations
The scandals come amid accusations that Pope Francis was complicit in the face of sex-abuse allegations against a former high-ranking cardinal in Washington, D.C., and a grand jury investigation that identified more than 1,000 child victims in Pennsylvania.
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carmencita ago
I am going to sound like a babbling idiot. I have a horrid headache and am feeling sick and nauseous not from an illness but from reading what you just put in this post for it reminded me of Blase Cupich and his connection to Omaha Neb. being born there and his connections to Spokane Wa. and the Morning Star Boys Farm. Also it took me to a case in Chicago where he is Bishop and a priest with the Claretians named Wellems who molested a boy of 5 when he was 15 and Cupich is letting him work in the the Mexican Community with children. This guy Wellems also was in Neb. for a while and had connections to Boys Town. Cupich and others claim since the abuse happened before Wellems was ordained a priest, it does not count. I have not done the math yet on this, but Wellems also went to college in Spokane. What is the chance he was there when Cupich was. I truthfully believe all this has some kind of crazy connection even though Cupich is a liberal and your diocese article is about conservatives. They may have some differences, but they all are on the same page when it comes to coverups. I am at another time when I think I will need to take a rest. This stuff is making me physically ill. I can't even right now. I want to Barf.