Survivors Network hopes West Virginia AG’s lawsuit against the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston spurs greater action

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey on Tuesday announced a lawsuit was filed in Wood County against the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, claiming the diocese and Michael Bransfield, the former bishop of the diocese, knowingly employed pedophiles and didn’t conduct adequate background checks of employees.

“Failing to conduct background checks for those working or volunteering around children is bad enough. Employing known perpetrators is far worse,” the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement issued by Judy Jones, Midwest Regional Leader of S.N.A.P. “These decisions put children at unnecessary risk and why? To save some time on paperwork or make a hiring process easier? Such actions are absolutely mind-boggling.”