Pennsylvania priests abused over 1,000 children, says report

A priest raped a 7-year-old girl while he was visiting her in the hospital after she'd had her tonsils removed. Another priest forced a 9-year-old boy into having oral sex, then rinsed out the boy's mouth with holy water. One boy was forced to say confession to the priest who sexually abused him.

Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl is accused of abuse cover-up. Pics/AFP

Those children are among the victims of roughly 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania who molested more than 1,000 children - and possibly many more - since the 1940s, according to a sweeping state grand jury report that accused senior church officials, including a man who is now the archbishop of Washington, of systematically covering up complaints.

The "real number" of abused children and abusive priests might be higher since some church records were lost and some victims never came forward, the grand jury said. While the grand jury said dioceses have established internal processes and seem to refer complaints to law enforcement more promptly, it suggested that important changes are lacking.

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