City of Angels?

The big news in Los Angeles these days is the release of a study by the Los Angeles Times into the scope of the sexual abuse problem within the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Until this point, trying to get an idea of the scope of the problem in L.A. has been difficult, as the church has been engaged in a lengthy legal battle to keep its internal documents on the matter secret.

So, just big of a problem has sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy been in Los Angeles? Let's find out...


1) According to the Times analysis, between 1950 and today, WHAT percentage of the Archdiocese’s 288 parishes had priests accused of sexual abuse working in them?

A) 10 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 75 percent
E) 90 percent


2) And, at the peak of the problem in 1983, WHAT percentage of diocesan priests had been accused of sexual abuse?

A) 5 percent
B) 7 percent
C) 9 percent
D) 11 percent
E) 15 percent


3) And finally, how many court claims have been filed against the Archdiocese by alleged victims of sexual abuse?

A) 260
B) 360
C) 460
D) 560



ANSWERS

1) D: 75 percent
2) D: 11 percent (the national average hovers around 5 percent)
3) D: 560 cases and counting so far

So, what does Los Angeles Archdiocese Cardinal Roger Mahoney have to say about the Times study? No comment…