Priest Search

An attendee views the priest database at The Linkup conference in Louisville KY on February 22-23, 2003.

Database of Publicly Accused Priests in the United States

According to the John Jay report commissioned by the U.S. bishops, allegations of sexual abuse were made in 1950-2002 against 4,392 priests. The number is generally believed to underestimate the problem. A few bishops have released the names of accused priests, but no official list exists of U.S. priests who have abused children and vulnerable adults. Below we present the most complete list currently available, culled from media reports and legal documents – with many photos, assignment records, and source articles.

You may view and search the database by priest's name, by diocese, or by state. Please see our overview of the accused priest database project, with a description of our posting policy and the abbreviations and conventions used in the tables. Send corrections to staff@bishop-accountability.org.



View by Name		View by Diocese		View by State
	Go to the full list of last names in alphabetical order		Use a U.S. map to select a diocese		Go to the full list of names in state order
	-OR-		-OR-		-OR-
	Enter a particular priest's last name:		Use a pulldown menu to select a diocese:		Use a pulldown menu to select a state:
	Tips for Entering Names

Other site features

Survivors' Accounts

Assignment Records of Accused Priests

Timeline of Major Events, Documents, Reports, and Commentary

Thousands of Articles on the Crisis

Grand Jury Reports and Other Analyses

The Database of Publicly Accused Priests does not state or imply that individuals facing allegations are guilty of a crime or liable for civil claims. The reports contained in the database are merely allegations. The U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.