An investigative report released by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell revealed that over 270 Catholic clerics sexually abused nearly 1,000 children across three dioceses over a span of decades.
This report is what Campbell described as the first comprehensive public examination of both the abuse incidents and the institutional failures that allowed such behavior to continue unchecked for more than fifty years within the dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester.
Most of the reported abuse occurred before 2002—the year that saw the clergy sex abuse scandal widely exposed thanks to a Pulitzer Prize-winning article by the Boston Globe, which highlighted how officials from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston routinely concealed sex abuse by priests.
The investigation underscored longstanding issues at these dioceses, asserting that they were aware of the abuse occurring against children by priests and other clergy members.
“They prioritized the church’s reputation over the protection of children far too often,” Campbell stated.
The report indicated that at least 275 clergy members were accused of abusing 944 children.
“Each number represents a child whose safety was compromised, a family forever altered, and a survivor carrying the trauma for years, often decades,” she explained to the media.
The Diocese of Worcester responded by stating that it would examine the report to find ways to enhance support for past abuse victims and improve child safety measures.
Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River issued an apology to survivors, expressing deep sorrow regarding the historical failures to protect the vulnerable. He emphasized the need for accountability.
Springfield Bishop William Byrne termed the report “humbling” and noted that his diocese had already been engaged in correcting earlier missteps, implementing new policies designed to be more trauma-informed.
The Globe’s reporting in 2002, which later inspired the Oscar-winning film “Spotlight,” triggered a worldwide investigation into similar abuses in dioceses globally and resulted in landmark reforms within the Massachusetts legislature.
In 2019, former Attorney General Maura Healey launched a criminal investigation into the dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester to assess their leadership’s accountability for supervising abusive clergy.
Campbell, who disclosed that she herself was a victim of child abuse, mentioned that her office made three referrals to local district attorneys during the investigation, which led to one prosecution in Worcester.
However, her office did not pursue further criminal cases because some actions were not illegal at the time or the statute of limitations had expired. She emphasized the necessity for reform within the dioceses and called for new state laws favoring abuse survivors, particularly regarding the elimination of the statute of limitations for civil claims related to childhood sexual abuse.
