Raoul says before his investigation, the Catholic dioceses of Illinois publicly listed only 103 substantiated child sex abusers.
The Quad Cities is part of the Diocese of Peoria that covers 26 counties. And the new report concluded, quote, "the story of the Diocese of Peoria relating to child sex abuse is one of continuity of leadership. Bishops allowed the practices and attitudes of their predecessors to affect their handling of abuse cases, even as formal policies and practices changed."
And it includes cases where the diocese did not admit any allegations against priests who had actually been criminally convicted of child sex abuse. The attorney general's report also says the Peoria Diocese notified local state's attorneys about claims of child abuse only after the Attorney General’s investigation began.
A press release from the diocese says during the past 20 years it's "endeavored to treat all survivors with the utmost respect and sensitivity. And the Diocese has implemented significant changes that have made the Church safer for children."
In addition, it knows of no priest with a substantiated allegation who is currently in ministry or who has not been reported to authorities.