It is a good thing it does, given that more than 1,000 allegations of sex abuse by priests and deacons were made last year, according to data gathered by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate that was included in the 2004 Annual Report.
It takes nothing away from the survey of diocesan child-protection programs, however, to note that such documents have been repeatedly misused by those who want to say or imply that the “crisis is over.” The danger, as it has been with each of these reports, studies and surveys, is that the findings will be oversold. Which is exactly what is happening.
