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  An Open Letter to Cardinal Sean O'Malley

Massachusetts Citizens for Children
September 8, 2010

http://www.masskids.org/

We write this Open Letter as stewards of Massachusetts Citizens for Children, a 50-year old statewide, private child advocacy organization that has dedicated itself for over half its history to preventing child abuse in our state and nation. We write also to give voice to the many parents and other concerned adults who want to prevent future sexual violations against children, support the healing of those who have been victims, and hold accountable those who have committed sexual crimes against our children and youth.

In March 2009, you publicly stated that "in the very near future" the Archdiocese would revise its policy on "disclosing information about accused clergy and the status of cases against them." Fifteen months later, despite urgings from child advocates and abuse victims, we in Boston still wait. You have stated that releasing this information is "complex." Two dozen other Bishops across the country, however, have publicly released this information and began doing so in 2002, a year before your arrival in Boston in June 2003. The wait has been too long. Transparency by its very definition must be complete and so we urge you to fulfill your stated commitment to transparency now by releasing this information.

 
 

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