SALT LAKE CITY – Prompted by the recent scandal surrounding sexual abuse by Catholic priests across Pennsylvania, the bishop of the Salt Lake City diocese is publicly disclosing Utah’s own history of “credible allegations” going back nearly 60 years.
The diocese has received reports from roughly 34 victims since 1990, Bishop Oscar Solis said in a letter Thursday in the diocese’s weekly newspaper. The incidents, which occurred from 1960 to as recently as this year, reportedly involved 16 priests as well as two other church officials abusing minors.
“All allegations were reported to the Division of Child and Family Services and all victims were offered pastoral assistance with counseling and therapy,” Solis wrote.
According to Solis, most of the allegations came to the diocese after the accused priest had left, retired or died.
Solis’ account is probably the first time Catholics in Utah are getting this level of accounting of sexual abuse allegations involving priests, diocese spokeswoman Jean Hill said.
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