Tobin Urged to Release Secret Files on Catholic Diocese Sexual Abuse

Tobin Urged to Release Secret Files on Catholic Diocese Sexual Abuse

Bob Hoatson, a former priest of the Archdiocese of Newark and Co-Founder and President of Road to Recovery, a non-profit that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families, including victims and survivors from the Diocese of Providence, appeared on GoLocal LIVE to talk about the effort now urging Bishop Thomas Tobin to release the secret files on the abuse.

The call comes after the Diocese this week published the list of those priests and deacons, living and deceased, who had been accused of abuse -- which Hoatson says is not enough. 

SLIDES: See List Released by Diocese BELOW

"The whole idea around clergy sexual abuse is the fact that secrecy has been the modus operandi of the church for centuries and especially more recently — we are here to petition Bishop Tobin to release every aspect, every piece of information, every file that he has on anybody that has sexually abused a child, teenager, or vulnerable adult," said Hoatson.

"Bishop Tobin is kind of behind the eight-ball — because it took him a long time to release the names of 50 priests and deacons who sexually abused people here in Rhode Island," said Hoatson. "But our claim is there are many many more priests that he has not released and we want the secret files to be released — and by secret files I mean, the Catholic Church requires every Diocese to have a secret file — and that file is usually information that will embarrass the Catholic Church if it’s released."

"But we want those files released, because victims — and survivors — will find out more information about their abusers and they’ll be able to heal in a much more effective way," said Hoatson.