A new report released Tuesday by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport sheds light on decades of sexual abuse by clergy members and the church’s leadership failure to adequately respond to the crisis. The report, compiled by former state Superior Court Judge Robert Holzberg, accuses former bishops Edward Egan and Walter Curtis of systemic negligence, law violations, and efforts to destroy records to protect the Church’s reputation and financial assets, instead of addressing the abuse of hundreds of victims.
The explosive findings reveal that the Diocese of Bridgeport has been home to the abuse of at least 281 victims by 71 priests since its formation in 1953. Shockingly, more than $56 million was paid in legal settlements to victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members, with Egan and Curtis blamed for allowing many of these priests to remain in service long after their abuse became known.
“The priests who committed these ghastly acts engaged in criminal acts,” said Holzberg at a press conference following the report’s release, adding that the findings were “profoundly disturbing” as they exposed how bishops prioritized the protection of church assets and avoiding media coverage over the welfare of children.
Failures of Leadership
The report particularly targets Bishop Edward Egan, who later became Archbishop of New York. It asserts that Egan was “profoundly unsympathetic, inadequate, and openly inflammatory” in his handling of abuse allegations. Despite knowing about numerous instances of clergy abuse, Egan continued to promote some of the most notorious offenders instead of removing them from the ministry. Of the nine priests with the most abuse allegations, five were promoted by Egan, thus allowing the abuse to continue unchecked.
Additionally, Egan’s failure to act resulted in many priests being transferred from parish to parish, with their pasts hidden from unsuspecting congregations. This failure to protect victims is particularly egregious, as Holzberg argues that Egan’s actions were “focused on preserving the patrimony and reputation of the Church” rather than pursuing justice for survivors.
Survivor Accounts and Long-Term Effects
Holzberg’s report also detailed the devastating impact of the abuse on the victims, most of whom were boys aged 5-18. The abuse ranged from inappropriate conduct to violent assaults, causing lasting psychological damage. Survivors of the abuse have faced long-term mental health struggles, including fear of retaliation, estrangement from family members, and a deep disillusionment with their faith.
The Diocese’s leadership, under Egan and his predecessors, is found to have been aware of these ongoing issues since as early as 1953. Yet, their collective response remained inadequate for decades, with several priests allowed to continue serving in their roles.
Calls for Further Investigations
In reaction to the report, victims’ groups have called for a statewide grand jury investigation to scrutinize the Church’s actions further, especially given that several of the offending priests held prominent positions in other dioceses around the country.
Gail Howard, director of the Connecticut chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), urged law enforcement to investigate these cases, saying, “What is disturbing is that the men singled out in this report, including former Archbishop Edward Egan, all had high-level positions in other dioceses, meaning that their callous disregard for children and survivors as recognized in Bridgeport was likely experienced by survivors around the country.”
Ongoing Healing and Accountability
The current Bishop of Bridgeport, Frank Caggiano, acknowledged the immense pain caused by the Church’s actions and reiterated his commitment to ensuring such abuse would never again occur. “The church has been changed perhaps for the rest of our lifetimes… It is a wound that will take a very long time to fully heal,” Caggiano stated.
Despite the diocese’s vows to provide zero tolerance for future abuse, the question remains whether enough has been done to hold those responsible accountable. Holzberg’s team conducted interviews with over 50 witnesses, including survivors and church officials, and reviewed more than 250,000 records. The report noted that while no new abuse cases have emerged since 2008, it is likely that many victims and offenders remain unidentified due to incomplete and destroyed records.
The full extent of the damage caused by these actions will likely take years to fully understand, but the report marks an important step toward accountability and justice for the survivors. As Holzberg concluded, the failure of the Diocese of Bridgeport’s leadership to take meaningful action has caused untold harm to countless victims, leaving them with the trauma of betrayal and abandonment by the institution that was supposed to protect them.
Next Steps for Survivors
The victims and their advocates now hope that this damning report will prompt legal authorities to pursue further investigations into these cover-ups. With support from organizations like ours, the call for transparency, justice, and long-overdue accountability continues to grow, ensuring that the voices of the victims will not be silenced.
