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Archdiocese Program Offers Services to Abuse Victims

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
April 13, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/04/13/archdiocese-program-offers-services-abuse-victims/100404190/

Attorney Michael W. Caspino, executive director of Hope and Healing Guam, on Thursday talks about an alternative process for victims of clergy sexual abuse to achieve healing. The hotline is 1 888 649 5288.

As the number of lawsuits against Guam clergy continues to grow, a new independent support program, initiated by the Archdiocese of Agana, already has started to provide professional counseling and other support to victims of clergy sexual abuse, said attorney Michael W. Caspino, executive director of the non-profit organization Hope and Healing Guam.

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes has also started meeting with victims, Caspino said.

Caspino said the archdiocese and Byrnes acknowledge the victims' pain, and the creation of Hope and Healing aims to do that — provide hope and healing.

The archdiocese will fund Hope and Healing Guam using payments from its insurance providers and also from the sale of church property, Caspino said, adding it is expected to bring millions in funding.

People who were abused by clergy are welcome to use the support services, regardless of whether they have sued or plan to sue, he said. He said in some cases, people just want someone to talk to and don't not intend to file a lawsuit.

Caspino said one goal of Hope and Healing is to settle the abuse lawsuits out of court. Caspino served as general counsel to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County and has worked on hundreds of clergy sex abuse cases.

"If you’re asking why should someone come in and try to settle these cases, I can tell you because after experiencing the resolution of hundreds of these cases, they will be far happier, far better off, if we are able to work together to come to a resolution. The problem with the court system is it’s a one-size fits all. The court system only deals with money, it’s this amount of money," he said. "What we want to do is sit down with each victim to figure out what they actually need, and fund that."

Caspino, of California, said people have already called their hotline, 1-888-649-5288, and are now getting the professional counseling they need.

People who reach out to Hope and Healing will also receive spiritual guidance as part of the alternative process to obtain healing and justice, Caspino said.

Once the Hope and Healing Guam’s board of directors is formally set up, each individual case will be reviewed and the victims will be compensated for the suffering they have had to endure, using an initial $1 million funding, Caspino said.

There is no set formula for the compensation, he added.

Contact: heugenio@guampdn.com

 

 

 

 

 




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