In the file of another priest -- the one whom Vega identified as his abuser -- the contents were largely newspaper clippings about the priest being accused of child molestation. The priest was in charge of the altar boy program at an Oxnard church.

At the end of the last page of the priest's file is a handwritten note stating: "Ventura DA (district attorney) *3/27/03 -- Charged w/ felony 25 counts of child molestation of 8 youths in late 70's-early 80's."

The archdiocese published the names of accused clergy in a 2004 report, but the release of Thursday's documents will allow the public to trace how the church handled the allegations. It may bring to light some cases in which accusations were kept under wraps and the accused were kept out of the sight of the law or accusers.

The documents were evidence in 508 civil cases by sex abuse victims that were settled in one stroke in 2007. Victims received $660 million in the landmark judgment.

Most of the documents were inner-church correspondences about accused clergy. The archdiocese fought to purge the names of the accused from the papers until Thursday, when Judge Emilie Elias ruled that they be made public by February 22.

The church published them shortly after the ruling. There are 124 personnel files in total, 82 of which reveal sex abuse allegations against minors.

The release "concludes a sad and shameful chapter in the history of our Local Church," the archdiocese said.

It warned that although the names of the abused have been deleted, some may recognize their cases.

"We understand this experience may be a difficult one," it said.