A former Michigan priest has pleaded guilty to molesting a five-year-old boy in 1987, after officiating a funeral for the boy's family, reported The Daily Beast on Thursday.
"The accusation against Vincent DeLorenzo, 84, was one of eight complaints against him, and stemmed from a case brought in 2018 to the Diocese of Lansing, where he served from 1965 to 2002," reported A.J. McDougall. "He pleaded to a lesser charge in a settlement with the state that saw prosecutors throw out a separate case of sexual assault against another 5-year-old boy between 1995 and 2000."
According to the report, DeLorenzo has pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct, and will register as a sex offender and serve five years of probation. Victims testified against DeLorenzo about three years ago.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel applauded the outcome of the case, saying, “This guilty plea will hopefully close this painful chapter and open the opportunity for much-needed healing for those victimized by DeLorenzo.”
The Catholic Church has faced years of scandal surrounding its handling of sexual abuse cases, many of which were swept under the rug, like recent allegations of hundreds of abuse cases from the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
But other denominations have faced their own abuse scandals. The Southern Baptist Convention has also allegedly covered up abusive incidents involving clergy for years, and the issue has become a flashpoint in a new leadership fight. And a new report reveals that Mormon church leaders were aware of abuse allegations against parishioners and fought to keep the issue from going to law enforcement.
