Victims of Priest Sex Abuse Say Serious Changes Need to Be Made

By Bernie Tafoya
WBBM News Radio
February 21, 2019

https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/victims-priest-sex-abuse-say-serious-changes-need-be-made

Victims of priest sex abuse in Chicago are closely watching to see if Catholic bishops meeting in Rome seriously deal with the abuse scandal that has haunted the church since it was uncovered 20 years ago.

Larry Antonsen is a leader of the Chicago chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. He said bishops meeting in Rome need to make some "serious, radical changes" to keep children safe and to address the needs of victims.

"They have a chance to do something really, really important right now. Whether they do it or not, I have a lot of question marks," he said.

Antonsen is a Catholic deacon, as well as being a victim of priest sex abuse. He said he was abused by an Augustinian order priest on a trip to Wisconsin in 1962 when he was a student at St. Rita High School.

"I don’t think the pain ever goes away. I really don’t. I still wake up almost every night of the week with a nightmare or a thought or whatever," the 72-year-old North Beverly resident said.

He said the bishops have done some good things over the years in dealing with the sex abuse scandal such as putting out lists of predator priests, but he said, "Lists aren’t enough either. If they put out lists, they should also put out pictures and work histories and where they are now, even if they’re dead."

Antonson agrees with SNAP that any and all bishops and cardinals who have had a hand in covering up clergy sex abuse be removed and that bishops turn over all their files to law enforcement.

He adds that, "if they don’t really start making, like I said, radical changes, really major changes, they’re not going to get their credibility back."