The Archdiocese Lists Are Not Enough

By Mike Bryant
Legal Examiner
December 26, 2013

http://stcloud.legalexaminer.com/property-owners-liability-slip-fall/the-archdiocese-lists-are-not-enough/

Last week was a step in the right direction with the release of the Minneapolis/St Paul Archdiocese List , however there is a lot more information needed. The Archdiocese needs to come clean with the truth and give Zero Tolerance, meaning:

- They need to be open and disclose information voluntarily. The press release suggested that they were releasing the list on their own. Actually, it was the order of Judge John B. Van de North Jr.. The Church fought the release each time a request has been made.

- The real concern needs to be about the survivors. The day before the list disclosure emails and letters were sent out to 92 parishes warning them that they were churches where these pedophiles had been placed. It is an example of how backwards the information has come out. These churches in many cases should have never had these placements to begin with.

- The lists need to be updated. It is clear that there are names that are missing or potentially intentionally not being included. If there is a bankruptcy, you can be assured that they will have all of the names so that they are protecting their financing. It is another place where they are backwards in who should be protected.

- The rest of the lists in the state need to be disclosed. The Van de North order included that the Diocese of Winona. They need to disclose by January the 6th. Which makes you wonder why they need that long? There are according to the Star Tribune:

Duluth has 17 priests on its list, New Ulm has 12, and St. Cloud’s has 26. Victims’ attorneys say Crookston’s list has five names on it, but that diocese says its list has only four — that a bishop initially misspoke — and that those four names have already been revealed in a court document.

Will it take court orders for these lists to be finally disclosed?

- Everything possible needs to be done to find and take care of every survivor. That is where all of the focus needs to be, because they are the ones who were really damaged. These lists are only road maps to the horrible secrets.

- This has to end, meaning that there should be no more lists. Those who are caught need to face justice now. There needs to be no more hiding or transfers. Survivors need to be empowered to come forward right away and save future children.

The names are out there and there are many more to find.

Abuse of children and the continued silence by the offenders needs to be prevented. If you suffered, saw, or suspected such events, it is important to know that there is help out there.