The Archdiocese of Seattle has refused to comply with a sex abuse investigation, Washington’s attorney general claims

As part of a campaign for governor, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced May 9 that he had taken legal action against the Archdiocese of Seattle, alleging that it had “refused” to comply with his investigation. whether the three Washington dioceses used charitable funds to cover up allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy.

Later on May 9, the archdiocese responded that it had been blindsided by Ferguson’s decision, claiming it welcomed the investigation because “we shared the common goal of abuse prevention, victim healing and transparency.”

“We have worked with the attorney general’s legal team on the collaborative legal analysis that is standard practice in investigations such as this,” the archdiocese said in a statement. “Today’s press conference was a surprise to us as we welcome the investigation and have been working closely with the Attorney General’s team for months.”

Ferguson’s office first sent subpoenas to the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Diocese of Spokane and the Diocese of Yakima in July 2023. Then in April, it sent a second set of subpoenas to dioceses asking for additional information, including accounting and financial records.

Ferguson’s office has accused the Archdiocese of Seattle of failing to cooperate with the subpoena and has filed a court motion to enforce it.

In a May 9 press release, Ferguson’s office said it typically does not comment on investigations, including confirming whether they exist. However, Ferguson’s office noted that this investigation became public after a court order had to be obtained to move the investigation forward.

“Washingtonians deserve a public accounting of how the Catholic Church handles allegations of child sexual abuse and whether donor funds were used to cover it up,” Ferguson, a Democrat, said in a statement. “As a Catholic, I am disappointed that the church has refused to cooperate with our investigation.”

“Our goal is to use every tool at our disposal to bring the truth to light and give survivors a voice,” he added. “If you or a loved one are experiencing clergy abuse, please contact my office.”

If the Archdiocese of Seattle’s investigation reveals a violation of the law, Ferguson’s office said it would “take all steps in its power to achieve justice and implement appropriate oversight and monitoring measures to ensure that children are not exposed to abuse.” are.” the future.”

As for the Spokane and Yakima dioceses, Ferguson’s office said each responded to the original subpoenas only with information that was already public and that it was therefore necessary to send out the second set of subpoenas. Ferguson’s office has not yet taken action against the Spokane and Yakima dioceses, but said it would be prepared to do so if they refuse to comply with the second subpoenas.

Ferguson claimed that all three dioceses are withholding information.

“The church has more information than is shared with the public,” Ferguson said at the May 9 news conference. “She has published names but has not published her files on these abusive priests. Nobody read files. The purpose of our investigation is to uncover whether the church misused charitable trust funds to cover up systematic sexual abuse and shield abuse of priests.”

The Archdiocese of Seattle has subsequently vigorously defended its track record.

The archdiocese said it “welcomed” the opportunity to cooperate with Ferguson’s investigation. The archdiocese also said it has a good understanding of the contents of its files and has no concerns about releasing them to Ferguson “lawfully and fairly.”

The archdiocese highlighted the measures it has taken to prevent and respond to clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese. More recent actions in 2016 include publishing a public list of credibly accused clergy and creating a website that provides information on clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese, including prevention measures and support for victims and their families and expanding resources for it Support for victim assistance.

This year, the archdiocese announced it would also launch a healing ministry for victims and their families.

“The Archdiocese of Seattle is committed to preventing the crime of sexual abuse and providing support and healing to victims and their families,” the archdiocese said.

“Only by addressing this problem head-on will victims and the church find healing. However, based on the recommendations and guidance of professionals, we must do so in a way that protects the privacy of victims and ensures that they are not re-traumatized,” the archdiocese said.

“With that in mind, the Archdiocese of Seattle welcomes this opportunity to comply with the Attorney General’s request to demonstrate how the Archdiocese of Seattle has handled allegations of sexual abuse and how we protect children,” the archdiocese concluded.

Including Washington, 23 state attorneys general have announced investigations into the Catholic Church. In the last five years, six states have produced reports with detailed findings, while the others are still conducting investigations. Perhaps the most notable report is the report on the six dioceses of Pennsylvania, which identified more than 300 abusive priests since 1947.

A four-year study was conducted in the United Kingdom recently published shows the impact of the clerical child sexual abuse crisis on the Catholic community in England and Wales.

The report notes that “aspects of the culture and practices of the Catholic Church play a role in how clergy sexual abuse of children has occurred.” Aspects of Catholic culture examined in the report include clericalism and the lack of practical accountability structures.

The report also highlights that the church’s response often failed and resulted in further pain and harm, which victims describe as “secondary abuse.”

Photo: An aerial view of Seattle on March 16, 2020. (Credit: Lindsey Wasson/Reuters via CNS and Crux.)