VOICE of the FAITHFUL and SNAP MARK FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of SCANDAL with CALL for RECOGNITION of THOSE WHO DIED
PRESS RELEASE
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VOICE of the FAITHFUL and SNAP MARK FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of SCANDAL with CALL for RECOGNITION of THOSE WHO DIED
CALL for INTENSE RECOMMITMENT to AWARENESS both in the CHURCH and CIVIL SOCIETY WITH LEGISLATION and VIGILANCE
Voice of the Faithful and Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests
(SNAP) members mark the fifth anniversary of the clergy sexual abuse scandal
with vigils in 54 cities to honor and remember victims who died by suicide
and murder.
In Cleveland the vigil was held Saturday in front of the Cathedral.
In Cincinnati the vigil was held Sunday in front of the Cathedral.
In Dayton, the vigil was on the public sidewalk at Far Hills Avenue and
Dorothy Lane, Kettering, across from St. Albert the Great Church.
“We gather in memory but also in recommitment, “said Kristine Ward, chair of
the Dayton Affiliate of Voice of the Faithful, a national and international
lay reform organization founded in Boston in 2002.
” We’re here today because healing and protection still needs to happen. And
because secrecy and complacency don’t safeguard children. Vigilance
protects . We must all –bishop and lay person alike - remain vigilant.,”
she said.
Noting a slippage in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s policy, she said when
priests who were removed in the scandal die, their names are taken off the
Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s website.
“The priests may be dead but the victims are still alive. It takes a great
deal for a victim to come forward and they almost always believe they are
the only victim and that keeps them silent. The Archdiocese with this new
policy is contributing to silence once again. It is a simple act and they
could use it to begin to rebuild trust.
“Archbishop Pilarczyk and the bishops of Ohio worked mightily to block a
one year legislative window that would have allowed access to justice for
victims for whom the statute of limitations had passed, ” she said, ” This
hardly build trust.”
The legislation that passed in 2006 extended the statute but a window for
civil cases was dropped at the last minute.
Secrecy is still the name of the game for bishops not openness and true
reform,” she added. ” If there are no court cases, there are no documents
released and the secrets remain protected.”
The vigil highlights three ‘particularly egregious’ cases:
- a Wisconsin priest, Fr. Ryan Erickson, who murdered two men in 2002, after
one of them confronted him with allegations that he was molesting children,
- a Kansas priest, Fr. Robert Larsen, whose sex crimes against children led
five of his victims to commit suicide, and
- a California priest, Fr. Eric Swearingen, who was found guilty of child
sexual abuse last month in a civil jury trial, yet remains in active parish
ministry.
Catholics belong to a universal Church. What happens in one part of the
Church affects all parts of the Church. All of us, pope, bishops and lay
persons alike should be outraged by these deaths.
On January 6, 2002, the Boston Globe ran the first of what would ultimately
become 850 stories about pedophile priests. The articles sparked the
exposure and suspension of some 900 proven, admitted and credibly accused
child-molesting clerics across the US. So in the eyes of many, the Catholic
sex abuse and cover up crisis seems like it started five years ago.
The sad truth is, however, that clergy sex crimes and cover ups have gone on
for decades, if not centuries.
We have no real assurance that the scandal is over.
” In the cases in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, we have yet to hear
Archbishop Pilarczyk say flatly that he was wrong in covering up criminal
acts against children and for moving abusive priests from parish to parish
continuing to place children in danger — no excuses, no dodges, no canned,
recycled apology –just a flat out I was wrong. It would be a refreshing
day if he did that.” Ms. Ward said.
For more information, contact Kristine Ward, 937-272-0308