Parishioners listened quietly, as the priest began by solemnly acknowledging that he, like all others humans, sins. He then spoke about the great tragedy of the sins committed by those exposed in the report and apologized to abuse victims. He closed by criticizing the institutional and societal conditions that perpetuate such wrongdoing.

Tess Colaiezzi, a member of St. Anastasia in Newtown Square, said she was surprised to hear that a former priest at her parish, Rev. John H. Mulholland, 66, was named in the report, and was cited for abusing a boy while assigned there.

"I think our kids were in CCD when he was in our parish," said Colaiezzi. "It just makes me mad," she says. "They should have been arrested."

Mulholland abused six boys in the CYO and had boys in his room while assistant pastor at St. Anastasia's in 1970, according to the report.

Colaiezzi, also, however, said she would stay with the church.

"There's more good priests than there are those [bad ones]," she said.

Released last week, the 418-page grand-jury report stated that at least 63 priests in the archdiocese, including 23 who served or resided in Delaware County, were "sexually abusive."

The archdiocese announced Monday that it had removed Mulholland and another priest as chaplains of a Philadelphia nursing home.

Jerry Spross, a member of St. Laurence Parish in Upper Darby, said he disapproves of the abuse and cover up, but says the large barrage of media coverage and tone of the report made him feel like it was "Catholic bashing."

"I believe it was too much," he said.

Three priests who served at St. Laurence are included in the report.

Spross also called on authorities to investigate similar abuse in other religious institutions, following the focus on the Catholic scandals.

"You find that 5 percent of any working force has the same problems," he said.

Although institutional failures of the church were painfully evident in the report, a sampling of individual Catholics in the county revealed their personal faith was not diminished, despite feelings of anger and shock.

"It hasn't shaken my faith," said Diane, a member of St. Laurence Parish, as she exited morning mass yesterday.

"I am very thankful it came out," said friend Gladys, who also declined to give a last name. "It's worse if it didn't."

Joe (who asked his last name not be used), a CCD teacher at Holy Cross Church in Springfield, said the media has blown up the allegations.

"We weren't there, so how can we judge these priests?" Joe said. "Some of these incidents happened 30 years ago, some of the priests are dead and buried, why do they have to bring up their names now?"

Two priests, who worked at Holy Cross, are also included in the report.

Rev. James T. Henry abused a worker in the Holy Cross Rectory and a 15-year-old female sophomore at Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, according to the report.

Rev. Francis X. Trauger, worked at Holy Cross, but abused a male high school student in 1991 while serving as a parochial vicar at St. Joseph's in Aston, according to the grand jury report.

"There are pedophiles in every type of job," Joe said. "So why is the district attorney singling out priests. How many hundreds of priests worked there during that time who weren't abusive?"