The San Jose Diocese on Tuesday released the names of additional clergy accused of sexually abusing children.
According to the diocese, one name was added to the Diocese of San Jose’s original clergy abuse disclosure list. An additional 23 new names were of non-diocese clergy who ministered within Santa Clara County. Most of the 23 are dead or already removed from the ministry.
In October 2018, the Diocese of San Jose released the names of its clergy who have been "credibly accused" of child sex abuse. That original list named 15 priests, most of them already dead.
“With this updated list, the Diocese acknowledges and expresses our sorrow over the failings of the past and the damage done,” said Bishop McGrath. “I hope that this list demonstrates our commitment to do everything in the Diocese of San Jose’s power to confront the evil of clergy sexual abuse, to support and help victims, and to prevent abuse from happening in the future.”
According to the Diocese, "the additional names are the result of recent disclosures by other arch/dioceses and religious orders" as well as an independent review of our clergy files that was undertaken by Kinsale Management Consulting beginning in November 2018.
The original list, which mostly contains accusations made decades ago, was released after the bishop held four listening sessions for survivors and members of the church. McGrath said the meetings were informative and painful. He also defined “credible accusation,” a term some abuse victims feared would lead to an incomplete list because the Church would be the ultimate arbiter of an accuser’s credibility.
Several priests included in the original list continued to serve in parishes around the Bay Area, even after credible allegations of sexual abuse, specifically: Rev. Don Flickinger, Rev. Arthur Harrison, and Msgr. Alexander C. Larkin.
