Washington: Five Americans who say they were sexually molested by Catholic priests have filed a lawsuit against the Vatican to compel the church to open its archives and hand over the names and details of clergy. The plaintiffs “were harmed as a result of the Defendant Holy See’s practice and policy of not reporting suspected child abuse to law enforcement officials,” stated the lawsuit filed in US federal court in the state of Minnesota.
“Holy See’s practices of retaining, hiding, and concealing evidence of crimes of its agents has endangered numerous children and continues to put children in peril,” it added. Stephen Hoffman, one of three brothers who are plaintiffs for the case, said at a press conference the suit’s intention is to “let something like this never happen anymore.”
