THE US: An in-depth examination of sexual abuse in the Boston Archdiocese has found that Roman Catholic priests and other workers probably molested more than 1,000 people over six decades.
"The mistreatment of children was so massive and so prolonged that it borders on the unbelievable," Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said yesterday when issuing a report containing the findings.
The report follows a 16-month investigation by Mr Reilly's office.
Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned last December, bore the "ultimate responsibility for the tragic treatment of children which occurred during his tenure", Mr Reilly said.
"The choice was very clear: between protecting children and protecting the church. They made the wrong choice," he said. "In effect, they sacrificed children for many, many years."
Mr Reilly also warned that the archdiocese's new anti-abuse policy was inadequate to guarantee the safety of children. - (AP)