BishopAccountability.org
	Response from the Diocese: Bishop Vigneron to the Oakland Presbyterate Contra Costa Times April 3, 2008 http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8796527?source=most_emailed Dear Fathers, my brothers: Beginning with Low Sunday weekend I was in Washington for meetings at the Catholic University. I came home to find in the Oakland Tribune and its sister papers the series of stories on clergy sexual abuse in the Diocese of Oakland. In response to these articles, I have asked that Sr. Glenn Anne McPhee and Fr. Mark Wiesner put out a statement expressing our Diocese's response to this story. It reads: Diocese of Oakland Statement regarding recent series in MediaNews group Papers The Diocese of Oakland is saddened by the recent decision of the MediaNews group to run a series of articles revisiting past sexual abuse accusations made against clergy in the Diocese of Oakland. While there is nothing that can be done to change the past, the Diocese continues to be fully committed to ensuring that all our parishes, schools, religious education programs and other programs involving children and youth are safe environments. In the fall of 2007 the Diocese of Oakland was audited and found to be in full compliance with the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" issued by the Bishop's of the United States. The Diocese maintains a fully staffed "Safe Environment for Children and Youth" office which is committed to the on going education of young people and all adults who work with young people. This includes both lay and ordained, employees and volunteers in the Diocese of Oakland. The Diocese is fully committed to working with law enforcement agencies and civil authorities in the reporting and investigation of any allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor. The Diocese is committed to seeking reconciliation and healing with those who have survived clergy abuse, their families and communities. The Diocese offers a support group for survivors and their families on the first Saturday of every month. This support group is staffed by a licensed psychotherapist and supported by the Victims Assistance Coordinator who attends all meetings. In the year 2000, the Diocese of Oakland held the first apology service in the United States for survivors of clergy abuse. Since then, Bishop John Cummins and Bishop Allen Vigneron have held apology services throughout the Diocese in parishes where abuse has taken place. The next apology service will be offered on October 7, 2008 in the new cathedral of Christ the Light. The Diocese of Oakland takes with the utmost seriousness all accusations of sexual misconduct on the part of any priest or employee of the Diocese. The Diocese of Oakland encourages anyone who believes they have been abused to contact the Victims Assistance Coordinator of the Diocese, Sr. Glenn Anne McPhee, at 510.267.8334 I send this along so that you are properly informed about this matter and so that you can use the statement, or any part of it, in responding to questions you will receive from your parishioners. I want to close this message with a personal note. I am deeply aware of the hurt caused to you by seeing this history of misconduct by some of our fellow-priests recapitulated in the media, especially after we have worked so very hard to learn from the wrong we have confessed and given so much attention to repentance and change. In my own prayer I have come to see that there is in all of this God's grace: the grace of a summons to trust even more fully in the power of the risen Christ as the only source of our safety and protection; the grace of a reminder that without him we will fail; the grace of a call to renew our commitment to see that children are safe, to work for the healing of victim-survivors, and to live lives of purity and integrity; and the grace of an invitation to unite our hurt with the sufferings of Christ. Please hold me in prayer, as I do you. Bp. Vigneron
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.