Cardinal Orders Sexual Abuse Investigations in Philadelphia

The archbishop of Philadelphia has announced the investigation of 37 Catholic priests who are the subject of "credible allegations of child sexual abuse."

Cardinal Joseph Rigali said Wednesday that three priests had already been put on administrative leave pending investigations, CNN's Belief Blog reports. The investigations come one week after three local priests and a parochial school teacher were charged with sexual assault on two boys more than a decade ago.

"Sexual abuse of children is a crime. It is always wrong and gravely evil," Cardinal Rigali said in a statement. "The grand jury report makes clear that for as much as the archdiocese has done to address child sexual abuse, there is still much to do.

"Many people of faith and in the community at large think that the archdiocese does not understand the gravity of child sexual abuse," Rigali continued. "We do."

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