PHILADELPHIA: 21 Catholic Priests Suspended Over Abuse Accusations

In a move that is being described as the most sweeping in the history of the American Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has suspended 21 priests accused of sexual abuse or "inappropriate behavior with minors." The Archdiocese is refusing to identify the the suspended priests and most parishioners will learn of their priest's involvement when he fails to appear for Ash Wednesday services today.

The announcement was a major embarrassment for Cardinal Justin Rigali, who, in response to the grand jury report, had initially said there were no priests in active ministry “who have an admitted or established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against them.’’ A few days later, Rigali placed three priests on administrative leave. His statement yesterday did not explain why he had made his initial assurances nor did it say why the priests had not been suspended earlier. “We may have to be asking, what did the cardinal know and when did he know it?’’ said Leonard Norman Primiano, a Roman Catholic and chairman of the religious studies department at Cabrini College, in suburban Radnor, Pa. He described the mass suspensions as “astonishing.’’

If the charges stick, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia faces potential lawsuits in the many millions of dollars. The already financially beleaguered Archdiocese has closed almost 50 Philadelphia-area schools since 2006.