Diocese of Syracuse creates program to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse

By Patrick Lohmann
syracuse.com
February 14, 2018

http://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2018/02/diocese_of_syracuse_creates_program_to_compensate_victims_of_clergy_sexual_abuse.html

The Catholic Diocese of Syracuse announced today it will create a program that will allow victims of clergy sexual abuse to seek compensation.

Bishop Robert Cunningham made the announcement at an Ash Wednesday news conference at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Syracuse.

The program, which the diocese called an "independent reconciliation compensation program for survivors," is aimed at giving a measure of justice to dozens of churchgoers who alleged sexual abuse at the hands of clergy in this area. 

The program will be run by Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, who were involved in mediation and administration of compensation for survivors of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the British Petroleum oil spill and similar programs in Downstate dioceses. 

The pair will work with those who have previously notified the diocese that they were harmed by a member of the clergy. There are 40 priests in the seven-county area who have been credibly accused of fraud, though 11 of them have not been named, officials said.

Eighteen of the priests are still alive, officials said. 

There are 76 victims who have previously alleged sexual abuse by priests in the Syracuse diocese, officials said. Those victims will get letters inviting them to participate in the voluntary program.

In addition to the 76 victims, there are about 50 other allegations against priests that were provided by third parties or were anonymous. 

The deadline to apply for the compensation program is May 16. 

The diocese has already reached settlements with 20 victims who are not included among the 76. 

Feinberg and Biros will determine compensation amounts for eligible victims.

"The diocese will accept their determination without question," the diocese wrote in a news release. 

Money for the program will be paid out of the diocese's general liability insurance fund, officials said. Money donated by the people of the diocese to the church will not be used for the compensation, officials said.

Cunningham said the diocese had chosen Ash Wednesday to announce the program in the spirit of peace and reconciliation. 

"The ashes that we receive today are a sign of penance, biblical in origin, which express our human condition as affected by sin," the bishop said. "In this sign, we outwardly express our guilt before God and we are prompted by the hope that the Lord is kind and compassionate, patient and abounding in mercy."

He again apologized for the pain and suffering caused by priests in the diocese. He also said the church has taken steps over the past 15 years to prevent abuse from happening again, including training 40,000 associates of the church with sexual abuse prevention and conducting criminal background checks on them. 

The diocese represents more than 235,000 Catholics in Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego counties. 

In the speech, Cunningham again addressed his decision not to name the 11 priests accused of abuse who have not been identified. He said some victims have asked him not to release their abusers' names publicly.

"Some survivors have asked me to release all of the names, and others have asked me to not release the name of their offender," Cunningham said. "Therefore, we will confirm a name when the survivor makes it known. In that way, I am honoring the requests of both."

The bishop's speech also hinted at a previous controversy in 2015 following the publication of his comments in a 2011 deposition regarding clergy sexual abuse. 

In the deposition, he raised questions about victims' culpability in sexual abuse, drawing the ire of victims and advocacy groups. But in the speech Wednesday, he made it clear that the clergy are solely to blame for sexual abuse. 

"Child abuse is a grave sin and a crime," he said. "And no child is responsible for his or her abuse ever. We will not return to the mistakes of the past."