Activists are demanding the Catholic Diocese of Manchester release the names of all New Hampshire priests accused of child sex abuse during the last five years, even as Attorney General Kelly Ayotte recently commended the diocese for new preventative measures."This has been one of the most silent dioceses in terms of public information in the U.S.," said Anne Barrett Doyle of BishopAccountability.org, a group based in Boston.
WCAX-TV News reports that BishopAccountability held a press conference Monday outside the diocese with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, based in Chicago.
About a dozen volunteers gathered, urging the diocese to disclose the names of all accused priests, even if they haven't been charged.
Four volunteers were priestly abuse survivors, according to Survivors Network director David Clohessy.
Kevin Donovan, a spokesman for the diocese, said it reports every new allegation to the authorities, but naming priests before they're charged would violate internal policy.
"We do not sit on allegations," Donovan said. "But we're not going to step outside the bounds of law enforcement."
That policy puts kids at risk, according to Doyle. She said the diocese has reported at least 40 new abuse incidents in the last five years, and they should reveal any names of new accused offenders to protect kids in the community.
Assistant Attorney General William Delker, who handles diocese reports, could not immediately confirm Doyle's figure but said his office has received 158 allegations of priestly abuse since December 2002.
He said he could not immediately determine how many individual priests, teachers or other church personnel were accused in these allegations.
The state has released the names of about 60 priests implicated in abuse cases in New Hampshire during the last three decades.
The state reached an agreement with the diocese in December of 2002, where the diocese would submit to four annual audits and adopt any recommendations made by the Attorney General's office.
In a press conference last month, Ayotte said the diocese has improved its safeguards for children but still has work to do.
This year, her office recommended the diocese strengthen its background check and training database, improve communication between officials working to prevent abuse and begin conducting its own internal auditing. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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