Duluth Diocese Releases Names of Accused Priests

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - The Diocese of Duluth has released the names of 17 priests whom it says were credibly accused of sexual abuse.

Reports say 14 have died. All 17 were removed from the church, are under investigation or were dead when the accusations arose.

The list also mentions five priests with ties to the area, who were accused while working elsewhere.

Tuesday's release comes several weeks after a lawsuit was filed asking that information on the 17 priests be released.

Duluth Bishop Paul Sirba calls the history of abuse in the church "a sad truth that must be acknowledged."

Within the past few weeks the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona released lists of credibly accused priests, complying with a court order.