Vanishing Predators

In 2002, staggering headlines revealed one Catholic priest's lengthy record of child abuse. When the news broke, Dan Carlson was stunned to learn that the man at center of this storm was his former parish priest, and someone who he thought was a friend. Life-changing news soon followed when Dan learned that his son had been one of this evil priest's victims more than two decades earlier. In this book, Dan recounts the arduous and painful process his son endured in his search for justice and healing from the Catholic Church. He also outlines the danger of clergy who, though laicized for credible allegations of child abuse, are not required to register as sex offenders. As a result, these individuals face no restrictions on where they can live or work, including access to children. Dan concludes with several recommendations for limiting the potential risk these laicized former clergy pose in our communities, along with thoughts on the continuing child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.