The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Friday that records detailing sexual abuse allegations by priests in the Diocese of Bridgeport should be released, a case that could provide an embarrassing footnote to the career of recently retired New York Cardinal Edward Egan.
The court's 4-1 ruling covers more than 12,600 pages of documents from 23 lawsuits against six priests that have been under seal since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport settled the cases in 2001. Most of the victims were altar boys or belonged to church youth organizations.
A Waterbury Superior Court judge ruled in 2006 that the files should be unsealed, but the diocese appealed. It wasn't clear when the documents might be available.
Egan was Bridgeport bishop from 1988 to 2000, when he was promoted to cardinal in New York. He was later criticized for failing to tell authorities about the Bridgeport abuse allegations and allowing the priests involved to continue working despite the claims.
Egan, who retired last month, has defended his handling of the cases.
The New York Archdiocese issued a statement Friday saying the documents involved five priests accused of sexual misconduct prior to Egan's appointment as Bridgeport bishop. One of the priests died before Egan's appointment and the other four were sent to a top psychiatric institution for treatment and expert evaluation, according to the statement.
"They were returned to ministry only upon the written recommendation of the aforementioned institution along with the advice of experienced members of both clergy and laity," the statement said. "At the time, this was the recognized professional manner of handling cases of sexual misconduct with minors."
When new information was received about misconduct, two had their authorization to exercise ministry removed indefinitely; one, who had suffered a brain injury, was retired from ministry; and one was permitted to continue in a restricted ministry as an assistant chaplain in a home for the aged, residing in a convent of religious women, according to the statement.
The Bridgeport diocese said in a statement that it was "deeply disappointed" in the ruling and was "reviewing our options."
Copyright 2009 AP News
