Buffalo Clergy Sex Abuse Survivors Ask for Meeting With Pope Francis

Spectrum News
September 18, 2020

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2020_09_17_Letter_from_Buffalo_Survivors_to_Pope_Francis.pdf

A group of clergy sexual abuse survivors is ready to take its mission directly to the Vatican.

The "Buffalo Survivors Group" just sent a letter to Pope Francis asking for a meeting to talk about the problem that's plaguing the catholic church, in the Buffalo area, and around the world.

In the letter, the group says the diocese's apostolic administrator, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, has said he is willing to meet with any survivor of clergy sexual abuse and even offered to show survivors the files on offenders. However, the group says Scharfenberger has never followed through on any requests for meetings. It also says this forces survivors to relive their past experiences and re-traumatizes them.

The group says it hopes if the pope agrees to a meeting, it would cast a positive light on the church and give renewed hope to people who've suffered.