The Catholic Diocese of Jackson took the bold step last week of identifying 37 former clergy members accused of sexually abusing children.

Eleven priests and one deacon who once served in parishes in Warren County were credibly accused of the sexual abuse. Thirty of the 37 were accused of sexual abuse while serving in Mississippi with the investigated cases happening between 1939 and 1998. The other seven worked in the Mississippi diocese but were accused of abuse in other states.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz publicly apologized at a news conference outside a cathedral in downtown Jackson after the diocese published the list on its website as part of the Catholic Church’s international reckoning.

“Every case of abuse represents shattered lives and damaged families and communities,” Kopacz said. “I hope that releasing this list will demonstrate a new level of transparency and a sincere desire to accompany victims of sexual abuse as our God of compassion and justice demands. I apologize to all the victims of abuse, to their families and to the faithful who have been hurt by this scandal.”

“The good thing for me as a retired priest in Vicksburg is that the priests on the list are all from the past,” said the Rev. P.J. Curley, retired pastor of St. Michael Catholic Church.

“There isn’t any priest on the list from the present, which tells me that our diocese really is doing a good job in the protection of children, and we priests are being more educated.”

Many of the accused abusers listed have passed away and will never be held publicly accountable on this side of eternity for their alleged crimes, but many of the victims — who were boys and girls age 5-17 at the time of the abuse — are still living daily with the crimes committed against them.

We pray for them.

But we also applaud the diocese for publicly acknowledging the atrocities that have racked the Catholic Church around the world. Their transparency is welcomed and should be an eye opener for other denominations that often times sweep such sexual abuse allegations under the rug.

Abuse of any kind, but especially on children by anyone should not be tolerated and there should be justice, but first there must be acknowledgment from all faiths that sexual abuse is taking place against our young people by those we trust deeply.