After under reported sex abuse allegations from priests reached the Illinois Attorney General's Office, the Catholic Church has responded to counter that report.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan released the number of priests with sexual abuse allegations, which are more than 500 priests. During this weekend's masses priests had a guideline on how to respond.

One of Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich's Bishops, Ronald Hicks, distributed a letter with a way to respond.

Hicks wrote, “We know these are difficult times for our church, and you probably saw the headlines in the last few days regarding the attorney general's report in Illinois. The church everywhere and in the archdiocese of Chicago recognizes and mourns the grave damage done to many people harmed by clergy sexual abuse and regrets the failures to respond."

The letter which was obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times gives talking points and language priests should and could use about the allegations from the attorney general office, but also challenges the findings.

Madigan’s report, which is still preliminary, says the Illinois Diocese publically reported 185 clergy with credible allegations of child abuse, but her investigators found more than 500 priests faced accusations that were not made public.