Pope Francis on Sexual Abuse Crisis

National Survivor Advocates Coalition
April 5, 2013

http://nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/

MEDIA STATEMENT

POPE FRANCIS on SEXUAL ABUSE CRISIS

4/5/13

Contact: Kristine Ward, Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) KristineWard@hotmail.com

Pope Francis doesn’t need to call for action in the Roman Catholic Church regarding the sexual abuse crisis. He can take action. Until he does, the status quo remains.

We hope today’s news regarding his meeting with the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is a first foray into this issue and not an exit and closed book strategy.

If we keep doing what we’ve been doing that means we keep getting what we’ve got.

What we’ve got is not the answer to the crisis.

What we’ve got is the criminally convicted Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO still in office. Telling the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to act doesn’t remove Bishop Finn.

What we’ve got are bishops and chancery and curia officials who deflect and dodge until the glare of media attention gets too hot to continue doing it.

What we’ve got are credibly accused priests whose cases have never been acted on by the Congregation who remain on paid vacations.

What we’ve got is pain.