A study of the nature and scope of the abuse since 1950 and a report on its causes were released Feb. 27 by the U.S. Catholic bishops.

The John Jay College of Criminal Justice study reported that, from 1950 to the end of 2002, 10,667 people claimed they had been childhood victims of sex abuse carried out by a total of 4,392 of the roughly 110,000 priests who served in U.S. dioceses and religious orders during that time.

Overall, the figure came to 4 percent of U.S. priests accused of abuse, broken down further as 4.3 percent of diocesan clergy (who make up about two-thirds of American priests), and 2.7 percent of priests in religious orders.

Deacons accounted for only 41 accusations, out of more than 15,000 ordained since the permanent diaconate was restored in 1967, or less than 0.3 percent.

In costs related to sex abuse, the study reported $573 million paid by dioceses, with $219 million of that covered by insurance. Costs incurred in 2003, and therefore not part of the report, include several large group settlements, notably the $85 million settlement agreed to by the Boston Archdiocese last fall. Sources estimate that when the 2003 costs are added the total could be in the neighborhood of $750 million.

The all-lay National Review Board, formed by the bishops in their 2002 "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," issued an accompanying report on the causes and context of the abuse crisis. It called sinfulness the overriding key to understanding and interpreting the crisis.

"The actions of priests who sexually abused minors were grievously sinful. The inaction of those bishops who failed to protect their people from predators was also grievously sinful," the board said. "Somehow the 'smoke of Satan' was allowed to enter the church, and as a result the church itself has been deeply wounded. Its ability to speak clearly and credibly on moral issues has been seriously impaired."

The John Jay study noted that most of the reported abuse occurred between 1960 and 1990, peaking in the 1970s. The board's report said one of the apparent causes of the crisis was that, "historically, seminaries paid inadequate attention to the human formation of candidates for the priesthood."

For more information visit:
---"Report to the People of God: Clergy Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 1930-2003," available on the Archdiocesan website: www.la-archdiocese.org.

---"The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, the Research Study Conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, available at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' website: www.usccb.org.

---"A Report on the Crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States," prepared by the Natural Review Board for the Protection of Children & Young People: www.usccb.org.

---"Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection

of Children and Young People" (issued in January): www.usccb.org.