Joliet diocese to make clergy-abuse records public

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — Personnel files of more than a dozen former Diocese of Joliet priests considered sex offenders will be released as part of a settlement between the northern Illinois diocese and a man who sued over molestation he endured as a boy.

The diocese's bishop, the Rev. R. Daniel Conlon, made the announcement on Wednesday. He says the release of the records involving 15 priests complies with a judge's ruling lifting an order that protected files and documents of the "priest-offenders."

The settlement resolved the lawsuit filed years ago by David Rudofski against the diocese over what Conlon called "substantiated" sexual misconduct involving Father James Burnett. Burnett was removed from the ministry in 2006.

Conlon said Rudofski also got an unspecified financial compensation.