CV News Feed // The Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan held a press conference Monday after the state’s attorney general’s office released a new report listing over two dozen priests accused of sexual abuse since the 1950’s.
The report, released Monday January 8th, listed 28 clergy members from the Diocese of Gaylord which are accused of sexually abusing children or engaging in inappropriate relationships between 1950 – 2021.
Of those 28, 12 are still living but the diocese said that all have been removed from active ministry. The newest release is the second installment in what is expected to be a seven-part report about the clergy abuse crisis in Michigan. The first report, released in 2022, detailed abuse instances in the Diocese of Marquette.
Bishop Jeffery Walsh addressed the report during a press conference on Monday and offered an apology to all victims of abuse.
“I humbly offer an apology to each victim survivor who has been violated by anyone affiliated with the Catholic Church,” Walsh said. “Many of you have suffered in darkness for years, and I am truly sorry for that.”
In a statement released after the report, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said that the state would continue its investigation and support victims in any way that they need.
“Our promise to the victims was that every case of sexual abuse and assault would be thoroughly reviewed and that the results of the investigation would be transparent,” Nessel said in a statement. “I especially want to thank the survivors who have shared their stories, sometimes for the first time after decades of silence. Their willingness to come forward has helped bring attention to an issue that has affected so many in our state and our country, especially children.”
Walsh shared with reporters that the diocese “fully cooperated” with the investigation and will continue to support the attorney general’s office in whatever way they can.
In addition to the apology, Waslh commented on the continued abuse scandal, saying that it is a sad reality in the life of the Church.
“Sadly, all of this information shows the very human side of the church, which is not immune from the brokenness that we find in our humanity. Continuous learning and refining our practices to build a safer environment has contributed to the decline in alleged sexual abuse by clergy,” said Walsh.
