Chicago Archdiocese to Release Sex Abuse Files

Thousands of pages to be provided to victims' lawyers

The Archdiocese of Chicago on Wednesday will hand over thousands of pages documenting clergy sex abuse allegations to victims' attorneys who have fought for years to hold the Catholic Church accountable for its handling of such claims.

The files on the nation's third-largest archdiocese will include complaints, personnel documents and other files for about 30 priests with substantiated abuse allegations.

Victims' attorneys next week will make public the documents detailing allegations of crimes concealed and priests assigned to positions that allowed them to continue molesting children.

Disclosures in other U.S. dioceses in recent years have showed how the church shielded priests and failed to report child sex abuse to authorities.