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  Catholic Diocese to Have Special Mass for Victims of Abuse

By Bob McClay
KTAR
March 8, 2011

http://ktar.com/category/local-news-articles/20110308/Catholic-diocese-to-have-special-mass-for-victims-of-abuse/

Joseph Baca was abused as a child by his priest in Winslow. "(The) abuse was horrific. Everything you can imagine a pedophile doing to a child, he did to me."

He's forgiven that priest. The Phoenix diocese is holding a mass of healing and reconciliation Tuesday night.

Diocese spokesman Paul Pfeffenberger says the mass is for victims of all types of abuse, but he knows Phoenix has had what he calls a "crisis" of clergy abuse.

He says Bishop Thomas Olmstead is doing the right thing by holding the mass.

"He's doing the right thing by meeting the victims, by making sure the victims have counseling, by making sure that things are different than they used to be," Pfeffenberger says. "And I think this mass is a good sign of what he does best which is to celebrate the Eucharist, to celebrate mass with Catholics and pray."

He says the mass is not just for victims and survivors of any kind of sexual abuse. "It's also for the community because the Catholic had been badly wounded by the scandal that this abuse has caused. And it gives regular Catholics the chance to come, celebrate mass with the bishop and pray for the church and pray for the people who have been abused."

Baca is looking forward to the mass and wants to hear one thing. "'Til Bishop Olmstead comes forward with names of pedophile priests that were here in the diocese - that's what they seem to hide. I mean these priests after they're accused of abusing children they disappear."

When asked by a KTAR reporter if he wanted the bishop to "come clean" tonight on the identities of those priests, Baca says, "Yes." But he adds he doesn't know if Olmstead will actually do it.

 
 

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