Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1950-2020 · 70 years · show in timeline

Florida 1950 to 2020: State prosecutors identify 97 accused priests; Florida was a destination to which priests accused elsewhere were routinely relocated

From October 2018 Florida's Office of Statewide Prosecution, together with the state police, investigated child sexual abuse by priests in the state's seven Catholic dioceses; the report appeared in November 2020. From 267 tips the office identified 97 priests against whom historical abuse allegations were made. None could be charged, because of limitation, death or earlier proceedings. According to the report Florida was one of the places to which priests accused elsewhere were routinely relocated, mostly to the Diocese of Venice or the Archdiocese of Miami, without the bishops always being told their history. Before 2002 a culture of silence and concealment prevailed.

Period
1950-2020 (70 years)
Country
United States
Institutions
Archdiocese of Miami
Diocese of Venice
Province of Florida
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. The investigation identified 97 priests against whom allegations of historical sexual abuse in Florida were made. Neither the acts nor the wrongful conduct of the Church and its personnel in dealing with them can be prosecuted, because the statute of limitations has expired or those responsible are dead; there were no arrests or charges.
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, Executive Summary, S. 2
    „The investigation did identify ninety-seven (97) priests against whom allegations of historical sexual abuse were made.“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, Executive Summary, S. 2. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, Executive Summary, S. 2
    „Likewise, the wrongful actions or inactions of the Church and its personnel in connection with those depraved acts are not prosecutable“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, Executive Summary, S. 2. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, A., S. 4
    „no arrests or prosecutions resulted from the course of this investigation“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, A., S. 4. Original

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. After the Pennsylvania grand jury report the Office of Statewide Prosecution began an investigation with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in October 2018. 267 tips were received; all dioceses and the Archdiocese of Miami produced files, including the secret archives kept under canon law. The investigation found no indication that children were currently in danger.
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, Executive Summary, S. 2
    „In October 2018, the Office of Statewide Prosecution ("OSP") with the assistance of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ("FDLE") began an investigation“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, Executive Summary, S. 2. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, A., S. 2 f.
    „two hundred sixty-seven (267) tips were received and reviewed by OSP and FDLE“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, A., S. 2 f.. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, A., S. 3
    „The "Secret Archived Files" held by Bishops pursuant to Canon law were provided as requested.“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, A., S. 3. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, Executive Summary, S. 2
    „This investigation did not find any instances indicating children in Florida were currently in immediate danger of sexual abuse by priests.“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, Executive Summary, S. 2. Original

Background

Response of the Church

  1. According to the report, not only had many priests historically abused children in Florida; Florida was also one of the states to which priests accused elsewhere were routinely relocated, mostly to the Diocese of Venice or the Archdiocese of Miami. Florida bishops were not always told of their history. Since 2002 the province has taken steps against the culture of silence and concealment that existed before.
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, B.1, S. 5
    „Florida was one of the states to where priests, who were accused of committing such crimes in other locations, were routinely relocated“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, B.1, S. 5. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, B.1, S. 5
    „they were most often sent to the Diocese of Venice or the Archdiocese in Miami“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, B.1, S. 5. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, B.1, S. 5
    „Florida bishops were not always made aware of the abusers' history“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, B.1, S. 5. Original
    Evidence: Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General, B.1, S. 4
    „Since 2002, the Florida Province has taken steps to address the culture of silence and concealment that existed prior to that time.“
    Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, B.1, S. 4. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Government report
    Office of Statewide Prosecution, Florida Office of the Attorney General: Office of Statewide Prosecution's Report on Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church in Florida, 6 November 2020. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.