DENVER (AP) — A list of Jesuits found to have credible allegations of sexual abuse made against them includes 13 priests who worked in Colorado, two of whom also worked in Wyoming.
Eight of the priests included on the list released by the Catholic order’s U.S. Central and Southern Province Friday worked at Regis High School, once located in Denver but now in Aurora. Two also served at St. Stephen’s Mission on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation.
The priests had a number of assignments and the list doesn’t specify where the alleged abuse happened. However, in a letter to the Regis High School community, president David Card said two had allegations related to students at the school.
Seven of the priests have died. The others have either left the order or been removed from ministry.
Regis Jesuit released a statement about the allegations Friday night:
The list released today by the Central and Southern Province (UCS) of the Society of Jesus is an initial step in providing transparency in regard to its history with sexual abuse. All Jesuits missioned to Regis Jesuit High School are assigned to us through the UCS Province, formerly known the Missouri Province. This is one of the first steps the UCS Province is taking in a larger process of acknowledging and disclosing its history, which we in turn acknowledge is intertwined with the history of Regis Jesuit High School.
This revelation carries with it a great deal of renewed pain for members of the community. As president and an alumnus of Regis Jesuit High School, I want to express my sincere compassion for the victims for the pain caused by Jesuits serving at Regis Jesuit in the past.
At Regis Jesuit today, we work to create a community built on trust, dignity, integrity and respect and provide a safe and productive environment that focuses on developing young men and women who are with and for others. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any sexual, inappropriate, physical or emotionally abusive interaction between students and teachers or staff and will engage local authorities immediately to investigate any credible allegation of misconduct. In addition:
• All employees of Regis Jesuit, including our Jesuits, faculty, staff, coaches and volunteers who work directly with students, are background checked and must attend safe environment and sexual harassment awareness and prevention training, which includes what it means to be a mandatory reporter. Employees have also attended training conducted by the Blue Bench on bystander awareness and response.
• All of our Jesuits are screened through a more rigorous process and attend an annual safe environment program through the Jesuit Province to safeguard against abuse of minors.