84 San Bernardino Diocese Priests Listed In Sexual Abuse Case

Early Thursday morning during a news conference in Ontario, a report on the alleged sexual abuse by clergy in the Diocese of San Bernardino was released where victims identified more than 84 priests who were in and out of the diocese in the past 50 years.

"It just wasn't a slight touching over the clothing," said abuse survivor Manuel Silva, a former altar boy. "It wasn't just a caress or something that was wrong, no, this was a full-on rape of child."

One of the alleged perpetrator, Father Fidencio, is among the scores of priests included in the report. Half of the alleged abuser are deceased. As for the others still alive, advocates believe they could be anywhere in the world.

"Are they still a danger to children? Are they still priests?" attorney Mike Reck asked at the news conference.

The San Bernardino diocese, that includes Riverside and San Bernardino counties, only released 34 names last year. Advocates for victims said the list was inaccurate and incomplete. They believe San Bernardino was left and forced to take in priests with moral, mental, and physical problems for multiple years.

"We know that that's a potential danger," Reck said, "because you have individuals coming in from foreign countries, coming in from religious orders who are not subject to the same oversight that's promulgated here in the United States."

As well, this report highlights a sales pamphlet for a former treatment facility that created for pedophile priests. It's not clear who was treated there and where the patients are at today.

The law firm, Jeff Anderson & Associates, that made the report is suing Catholic entities throughout California only demanding information, not money.

Video: ABC 7


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