(CNN) Michigan authorities have seized records from every Catholic diocese in the state as part of an investigation into possible sexual abuse by clergy, the dioceses said in separate statements released Wednesday.

The Archdiocese of Detroit, and dioceses in Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette and Saginaw said their offices were served search warrants Wednesday morning from Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Schuette's office announced last month that it would be looking into possible sexual abuse by priests in the state's seven dioceses.

CNN has reached out to Schuette's office for comment.

A post on the attorney general's website says the investigation will be "independent, thorough, transparent and prompt" and will "find out who knew what, and when."</s>Parents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy filed a lawsuit Monday against Pennsylvania's eight dioceses and their bishops asking a judge to compel them to release information about abuse allegations.

The lawsuit filed Monday in Pittsburgh comes a month after a statewide grand jury report detailed sexual abuse allegations against more than 300 priests over decades in six of the state's dioceses. The lawsuit alleges the dioceses haven't met their obligations to report child sexual abusers under state law.

Benjamin Sweet, an attorney for the lead plaintiffs in the case said they are not seeking money, but instead are asking for public transparency about allegations. Many victims who came forward to talk to the grand jury fall outside the statute of limitations to file a civil personal injury lawsuit. The lawsuit filed Monday doesn't seek damages and doesn't represent solely victims of abuse, so Sweet said it isn't prohibited by any statute of limitations.

"From our perspective this is completely about disclosure and coming clean and allowing these predator priests to be named. The concealment of these priests is a continuing slap in the face to these survivors. It's a continuing slap in the face to the parents who trust these churches and institutions to educate these children," he said.

The lawsuit asks for injunctive relief to compel the dioceses to be better mandated reporters for child sexual abuse allegations. It also asks to compel the dioceses to release all information they had given to the grand jury to the public and to provide a mechanism for reporters to review records to make sure their allegations exist, are accurate and have been sent to the proper law enforcement or government officials.

Spokespeople for several of the state's dioceses said they could not comment on the lawsuit since they had not seen it. Messages left at several other dioceses Monday were not immediately returned.

Spokesmen for the Greensburg, Pittsburgh and Allentown dioceses reiterated their written responses to the grand jury report, saying all allegations of abuse of minors are reported to law enforcement.

"At the Diocese of Greensburg, any and every allegation, regardless of credibility, is immediately called in to Pennsylvania ChildLine and reported to the appropriate district attorney, whether the allegation is minutes old or 70 years old," Greensburg Dioceses spokesman Jerry Zufelt said.

The lawsuit, however, contends that the 20 names of clergy that are still redacted in the grand jury report, along with the fact it says only 10 of the 300 priests named in the report are registered sex offenders under the federal Megan's Law, lead parents and survivors to believe the dioceses still have not been transparent.

Clergy abuse survivor Ryan O'Connor— one of the lead plaintiffs in the case— realized years after his abuse that he needed his faith to be able to heal. His children attend Catholic school, but O'Connor said he would be lying if he said he trusted all of the priests they come into contact with.

"This is not about money or seeking damages. This is about transparency; this is about honesty. This is about letting parents know that we are going to take care of this. This is about the church saying we are going to get rid of these bad operators and we are going to no longer protect them," O'Connor said. "This is about protecting my kids, their classmates and every child who steps foot into a Catholic school or into mass as an altar server."</s>DETROIT - Roman Catholic dioceses across Michigan have turned over documents in a state investigation of sexual abuse by priests.

Investigators with search warrants collected records Wednesday, about two weeks after Attorney General Bill Schuette said his office was leading a probe. The new emphasis comes after a Pennsylvania grand jury said more than 1,000 children have been molested there since the 1940s.

The Detroit Archdiocese says it “cooperated fully.” The Saginaw Diocese says investigators were at headquarters throughout the day. Schuette spokeswoman Andrea Bitely declined to comment.

A priest in the Saginaw area, the Rev. Robert DeLand, recently withdrew his no-contest plea to criminal sexual conduct after the judge disagreed with a one-year jail sentence. He’ll now go to trial.</s>DETROIT (AP) - Roman Catholic dioceses across Michigan have turned over documents in a state investigation of sexual abuse by priests.

 

 Investigators with search warrants collected records Wednesday, about two weeks after Attorney General Bill Schuette said his office was leading a probe. The new emphasis comes after a Pennsylvania grand jury said more than 1,000 children have been molested there since the 1940s.

 

 The Detroit Archdiocese says it "cooperated fully." The Saginaw Diocese says investigators were at headquarters throughout the day. Schuette spokeswoman Andrea Bitely declined to comment.

The Diocese of Lansing says it welcomes a review of the handling of abuse cases by Michigan’s Attorney General. They also said they are "confident" in their processes and will continue to assist in the Attorney General’s investigation in any manner they request.

 

 A priest in the Saginaw area, the Rev. Robert DeLand, recently withdrew his no-contest plea to criminal sexual conduct after the judge disagreed with a one-year jail sentence. He'll now go to trial.</s>GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Michigan Attorney General's Office on Wednesday served search warrants at all seven Catholic dioceses in the state as part of a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and how they were handled.

The Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids said one of those warrants was served at its diocesan office on S. Division Avenue at Wealthy Street. The Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo also confirmed Michigan State Police and the the Attorney General's Office executed a search warrant at its offices to get documents.

Both dioceses said they were cooperating with the investigation.

State officials started the investigation in August in the wake of revelations about decades of abuse in Pennsylvania, but it didn't become public until last month. They say they are examining allegations of sexual abuse or assault dating as far back as 1950, as well as any potential cover-ups.

The Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids previously identified 14 priests who molested children since the 1950s, but none since the early 2000s. Four of them have since died, one was deported and most of the rest have either retired or are no longer allowed to present themselves as priests, according to the diocese.

The diocese said it now trains clergy, teachers and others at churches and schools to identify and report suspected abuse of minors. Bishop David Walkowiak has said there are not currently any accusations of abuse within his diocese, but officials always take reports seriously and send them to the proper authorities right away.

“We welcome them (the Attorney General's Office) to join us in our efforts of inviting survivors to come forward, a practice that has been in place since 2002," the diocese has stated.

In a Wednesday statement, the Diocese of Kalamazoo said it "stands ready to cooperate in any way that will lead to even greater protection and safeguards of all people, particularly for children and vulnerable adults."

It said reports of or questions about sexual misconduct can be made to its hotline at 1.877.802.0115.

The Attorney General's Office is encouraging any victims, their families or witnesses to report any crimes related to its investigation. Anyone who has been victimized by a member of the Catholic church can confidentially report the crime online or by calling 844.324.3374 Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.</s>WASHINGTON — Florida's attorney general said Thursday she is launching an investigation of potential sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church, making Florida at least the 13th state with an ongoing statewide probe of the church.

"Any priest that would exploit a position of power and trust to abuse a child is a disgrace to the church and a threat to society," said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement.

The Attorney General's Office will coordinate its probe with local prosecutors and review records from all seven of Florida's Catholic dioceses. It is also launching a tip line for victims.

During a press conference Thursday, Bondi said her office will be issuing subpoenas to the dioceses "immediately." Bishops in Florida have pledged cooperation with the investigation, Bondi said.

She called on victims across the country who may have been abused in Florida to use the tip line and contact her office.

"We want to hear your story. We want to help you if you have been abused. You can stop this from happening to other children," Bondi said.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NBC News has contacted the offices of the attorney general in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and found that at least 13 states are either currently probing allegations of sexual abuse in the church or about to launch an investigation.

In addition to Florida, authorities in Arkansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Vermont told NBC News they are now investigating alleged sexual abuse linked to the church.

A spokesperson for Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, Raquel Coombs, told NBC News the office has a policy of never confirming or denying investigations. But in September, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori told clergy that Frosh will be investigating records related to the sexual abuse of children.

"It is clear that we are a church in crisis and that crisis is one of trust," Lori said in a statement announcing the investigation.

Kentucky's attorney general, Andy Beshear, is now working on the cases of individual abuse survivors, said Beshear's deputy Michael Brown. However, Kentucky lawmakers and state prosecutors are preparing legislation that would allow him to convene a grand jury.

A sweeping report by a Pennsylvania grand jury released in August showed 300 priests in the state had abused more than 1,000 children over 70 years. After its release, other states' top prosecutors told NBC News that they were opening investigations. Pennsylvania's investigation continues, according to the attorney general's office.

Fourteen state attorneys general said they cannot confirm or deny any investigations.

But several of those not actively investigating gave NBC News statements critical of the Catholic Church's handling of the issue, expressing support for the Pennsylvania report and imploring victims to seek justice.

"The Catholic Church has proven itself incapable of safeguarding the vulnerable in its flock from sexual assault by their holy leaders, and our office is very concerned about protecting vulnerable Coloradans from abuse," Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Hoffman said in a statement.

Hoffman said she has no active investigations into the Catholic Church and under state law, the attorney general's office has little leeway to independently investigate.

Colorado and Kentucky are among the states where attorneys general lack the jurisdiction to independently conduct statewide investigations, and are not allowed to convene a grand jury akin to the one that produced the Pennsylvania report. Power to call grand juries and often, to independently investigate criminal activity lies with local prosecutors in many states, not attorneys general.

'My department will find out who knew what, and when'

In New York, Attorney General Barbara Underwood subpoenaed all eight New York dioceses as part of a civil investigation in early September. On the same day, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced a statewide task force to examine abuse in the Catholic Church.

Vermont prosecutors were spurred into action after BuzzFeed News published a bombshell report detailing decades of child abuse by Catholic nuns at St. Joseph's orphanage in Burlington, Vermont, according to the office of the attorney general.

Dioceses in New Mexico, where some priests named in the Pennsylvania report were sent for treatment, were sent letters by the New Mexico attorney general in early September demanding troves of church documents, including complete personnel files for dozens of clergy. Catholic dioceses have until Friday to turn over documents, according to the letters.

At least seven priests named in the Pennsylvania report have connections to Illinois, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Madigan expects all six Illinois dioceses to cooperate with her probe, she said in a statement.

State investigators in Michigan revealed their investigation in late September after responding to a freedom of information request by NBC affiliate WOOD-TV. The Michigan investigation had been ongoing since August and covers all seven dioceses in Michigan, according to the WOOD-TV report.

"My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when," Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a statement.</s>Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses said late Friday they are willing to set up a victims' compensation fund as they face the prospect that state lawmakers will give victims of decades-old child sexual abuse another chance to sue the church.

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference issued the statement for the dioceses saying they were discussing a possible fund. They warned that if a window opens for litigation of old cases, it could force the dioceses into bankruptcy and prevent them from helping victims or performing social services.

No diocese that has sought bankruptcy protection has ever stopped operating. Victims' lawyers say seeking bankruptcy is a strategic way to limit liability in lawsuits.

A nearly 900-page state grand jury report released Aug. 14 said more than 300 Roman Catholic priests had abused at least 1,000 children over the past seven decades in six Pennsylvania dioceses. It also accused senior church officials, including the man who is now archbishop of Washington, D.C., of systematically covering up complaints.

The dioceses' announcement comes ahead of a Monday rally at the Capitol to press lawmakers to approve a grand jury's recommendations, including creating a two-year window for victims to file civil lawsuits after the statute of limitations on their cases runs out.

"We believe such a program will expedite the process for survivors to present their cases to experienced, compassionate experts who will determine an outcome for each case in a swift, efficient manner. In doing so, the panel will provide a resolution to survivors and allow them to avoid difficult and prolonged litigation," the bishops wrote in the statement.

Amy Hill, a spokeswoman for the conference, said that the fund is just an idea at this point, details are still being discussed and no amount of money had been determined. She said the bishops were still talking about what kinds of compensation might be offered.

Both civil lawsuits and victims' compensation funds may deliver money to victims who have suffered for years from the memories of their abuse as children, although there are crucial differences.

Lawyers who help settle child sexual abuse cases say the courts generally promise a bigger payout, while dioceses face the possibility that a judge can order them to divulge records of child sexual abuse complaints and how they handled them. Plaintiffs also can extract court-approved agreements from dioceses to add procedures or training to better protect children going forward. Some of the money goes to lawyers' fees, and the church's defenders say that motivates civil lawyers.

A victim's compensation fund protects diocesan records from court-ordered scrutiny but delivers a faster payout to victims.

Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro are expected to attend the rally Monday, the first day that state lawmakers are back in voting session since the grand jury produced a report that has shaken the church, spawned investigations in other states and drawn a strong response from Pope Francis.

The state House of Representatives appears poised to pass a two-year window provision. Similar action has happened over the years in several other states, including California, Minnesota and Delaware, according to the Philadelphia-based research organization Child USA. But the Catholic Church and insurers have opposed similar measures in the past, and its fate in the Senate is uncertain.

The Senate in 2016 blocked similar legislation passed by the House.</s>Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday said reports of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Florida has launched a statewide investigation and led to a website where people can anonymously report allegations. 



Bondi created the website - myfloridalegal.com/stopabuse - as part of an investigation into the state's seven Catholic Dioceses, which she said has been going on for several weeks.

More than 15 victims from Florida have recently come forward with allegations. Bondi said it happened after an investigation in Pennsylvania found that 1,000 children were sexually abused by Catholic priests since the 1940s.

She also encouraged victims to call the state Abuse Hotline.

"If you call in, please know that we want to help you, we want to counsel you and we want to get to the bottom of anything that could've happened on our state," she said.

Bondi said the Bishops in the Florida dioceses are all cooperating with the investigation and that she expects the office will be issuing subpoenas.

"Any priest that would exploit a position of power and trust to abuse a child is a disgrace to the church and a threat to society," Bondi said at a news conference Thursday in Tampa.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen said his agency will work with the Office of Statewide Prosecution and State Attorneys to review records of the Catholic Church in Florida.

Bondi said the Attorney General’s office is not limiting the investigation to Catholic churches, rather they want to hear about sexual abuse from any institution and from any time period.

It's limited to any churches, any youth organizations, any school, any institutional abuse we want to know about", she said.

Under state law, victim allegations will be held confidential. The website will be monitored by five attorneys and law enforcement officers.

Victims of ongoing abuse can call 911 or the abuse hotline at 1(800) 96-ABUSE.</s>TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida has launched a statewide criminal investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic priests and is asking past victims to share information with legal authorities.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday that at least 15 victims of abuse have already come forward to state authorities. Bondi said her office has already talked to the seven bishops who oversee Roman Catholic dioceses in the state. She also said that authorities are preparing to issue subpoenas in the case.

The investigation comes in the wake of a Pennsylvania grand jury said more than 1,000 children have been molested there since the 1940s.

Bondi’s office has set up a website that will allow people to report incidents of past sexual abuse. Bondi stressed that if someone is being abused currently they need to call 911.</s>TAMPA, Fla. - Florida, home to an estimated 2 million Catholics, has launched a statewide criminal investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic priests and is asking past victims to share information with legal authorities.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who asked for people to come forward Thursday, said that at least 15 victims of past abuse have already come forward to state authorities recently.

The investigation comes after a Pennsylvania grand jury said more than 1,000 children have been molested there since the 1940s.

"We have reason to believe there are similar stories in Florida," said Bondi during a midday press conference.

SNAP, the Survivors Network, said the inquiry makes Florida the 13th state to start an investigation into Catholic dioceses in their state following the Pennsylvania report.

The organization said Florida's lack of a statute of limitations for felony sexual assault might give survivors a chance to hold perpetrators accountable.

"Given how important holding perpetrators accountable can be -- both for survivors’ healing and the prevention of future cases -- we hope that these investigations will not only lead to more survivors coming forward, but also provide an impetus for state legislatures to begin reforming their statutes of limitations or opening windows for old cases to be brought forward," SNAP wrote in a news release.

Bondi's office has set up a website that will enable people to report incidents of past sexual abuse. Bondi stressed that if someone is being abused currently they need to call 911. She said victim information would be kept confidential, but authorities need help to bring justice to victims.

"Any priest that would exploit a position of power and trust to abuse a child is a disgrace to the church and a threat to society," Bondi said.

The Republican attorney general did not go into great detail about the ongoing investigation, but said her office has already reached out to the seven bishops who oversee the Roman Catholic dioceses in Florida. Bondi said investigators from offices including the statewide prosecutor and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would soon issue subpoenas in connection to the investigation.

Bishop Felipe Estévez of the Diocese of St. Augustine issued a statement Thursday saying he is supportive of the investigation and the diocese will cooperate fully throughout the process.

“This has been a very painful period for all Catholics," Estévez said. "I hope the outcome of this investigation and other acts of transparency by the dioceses in Florida will bring about greater trust in the Church. Our goals are similar -- to ensure the safety of all children and vulnerable adults and to prevent perpetrators of abuse from serving in active ministry."

The Diocese of St. Augustine has a zero-tolerance policy to guarantee that allegations are reported to authorities and that anyone found to have committed abuse will be confronted swiftly and justly, the statement said.

“I pledge continued efforts to protect those who cannot protect themselves," Estévez said. "We must act on behalf of victims of abuse and their families in order to bring them the love, healing, and light of Christ."

The diocese has a process that has been in place since 1989 for reporting and reviewing suspected abuse and it encouraged members of the community to report abuse either to the church or to the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 904-208-6979.

According to BishopAccountability.org, four allegations of sexual abuse by priests have been previously reported in the Diocese of St. Augustine.

In August, the Tallahassee Democrat reported that the Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee removed Father Edward Jones from two Big Bend churches following an investigation into an accusation of inappropriate contact with an underage girl in 2004 when he served at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Tallahassee. Jones had been serving as pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Crawfordville and Sacred Heart in Lanark since 2010.

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee released a statement Thursday, saying it will "continue to cooperate with the statewide prosecutor in an investigation into the policies and procedures that have long been in place to provide a safe environment and to investigate allegations of misconduct with children."

The statement said that in 2018 the diocese in the Pensacola-Tallahassee area has screened and conducted safe environment training to 72 priests, 58 deacons, 14 candidates for ordination, 311 educators, 588 employees and 3,366 volunteers.

The Archdiocese of Miami also released a statement, saying it welcomes the attorney general's efforts. The statement said they have conducted background checks for nearly 150,000 people since instituting the safe environment policy in 2002.

Copyright 2018 by WJXT News4Jax. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Michigan authorities seize records from Catholic dioceses in the state as part of an investigation into possible sexual abuse by clergy.