To thwart additional lawsuits from being filed, a California sexual assault survivor advocacy group has accused the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno of failing to release a list of names of accused priests, The Fresno Bee reports.

It has been nearly two years since the Fresno diocese began considering what to share with the public in terms of names of priests credibly accused of sexual misconduct. The vast majority of California dioceses have already released lists — most of them in 2018 and 2019 —of priests who have been credibly accused in their respective diocese. Dioceses nationwide began releasing similar lists after an August 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury investigation produced a bombshell report identifying hundreds of credibly accused predator priests.

However, the Fresno Diocese has yet to make this information public. The only other California Catholic diocese that has not released this information is the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

That is not to say that the Fresno diocese has not considered releasing a list of names. In fact, in September 2018 the diocese created a review board to determine what to make public, and in February 2019, it was announced that the diocese had hired Kinsale Management Consulting to review decades’ worth of records, promising a list of names by early 2020.

As 2020 comes nears its end, the list has still not been produced.

Cheryl Sarkisian, chancellor for the diocese, said in early October that the investigation is “a work in progress,” but would not give a timeline for the list to be released or indicate why there is a delay.

“When it is completed, it will be released,” she said. “I do not know how much longer it will take.”

This is a concerning situation for victims and victim’s advocates, who worry that the delay may indicate a lack of willingness by the Fresno diocese to take responsibility, and perhaps may even be inclined to protect the accused clergy.

Joey Piscitelli of the California chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) told The Fresno Bee that Bishop Joseph V. Brennan of the Fresno Diocese “has showed that he is willing to protect accused clergy.”

“This attitude may be a factor in his decision to not be fully transparent with a list of accused clergy at this time,” Piscitelli said. “Another reason may well be that it will show that the diocese has had a pattern of secrecy and concealment of accused clergy, and the diocese would rather continue that pattern, rather than commit to full transparency, as does the Diocese of San Francisco.”

The Fresno Diocese

While the Fresno diocese promised in 2019 to release the list by early 2020, it’s worth noting that in January 2020, the Child Victims Act went into effect in California, allowing for many potential new lawsuits from sexual abuse victims, even those that suffered years or decades ago. The California Child Victims Act allows victims to file these lawsuits until age 40, or from five years after they discovered that they were abused.

Failing to release a list of names could prevent sexual assault victims from recognizing abuse suffered during their childhood at the hands of priests.

“Another reason Bishop Brennan may not want to list the names is because it may encourage victims of those accused priest to come forward if they see the diocese has admitted that certain priests were in fact credibly accused,” Piscitelli said. “Those victims may feel empowered or validated, and may come forward with a new claim or lawsuit.”

Already, the Diocese of Fresno has been hit with multiple lawsuits filed under the Child Victims Act.

If you are a survivor of childhood sex abuse by a Catholic priest or another member of the clergy — even if the abuse occurred years or even decades ago — you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and trauma caused by this kind of abuse, but it can at least help to provide monetary compensation, as well as hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.