Washington • The Justice Department has launched an investigation into alleged sexual abuse of youths by Catholic clergy across Pennsylvania, according to people familiar with the matter.
The move by the Justice Department to launch such a probe, even one limited to a single state, marks a major escalation in the government’s response to allegations that the church spent decades hiding the extent of the sexual abuse problem among its priests, and allowing pedophiles to continue to work and live undetected in communities.
“This is just a breathtaking, stunning and very welcome development,” said Michael Dolce, a lawyer who represents victims of sexual abuse.