Archdiocese of Washington Drops List of 28 Clergymen 'Credibly Accused' of Sex Abuse

The Archdiocese of Washington has released the names of 28 clergy members accused of sexually abusing children since 1948.

The archdiocese posted the list with the name of every accused priest on its website Monday evening.  

It sees the letter as "a necessary step toward full transparency and accountability and the process of healing."

The Catholic archdiocese also said in a statement that the list was "assembled as part of a comprehensive review of the archdiocese's archives ordered by the Cardinal Donald Wuerl in 2017."

Four days ago, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, retired after criticism that he had mishandled abuse allegations when he was in the Pittsburgh and D.C. dioceses.

All of the clergymen on the list have either died or are no longer serving.

The list also includes three religious-order priests who served temporarily in archdiocesan parishes or schools.

It says there are no archdiocesan priests currently in active ministry who have faced a credible allegation of abuse of a minor. It also said "there has not been an incident of abuse of a minor by a priest of the archdiocese in almost two decades."

The archdiocese does not say when the accusers on Monday's list came forward, how many victims there are, nor whether the cases were taken to civil authorities.

The list comes at a time when the Catholic Church is under fire for allegations of sexual abuse.

Former bishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was suspended in June amid allegations that he personally sexually abused children and adults.