FLORIDA
WFLA
By Steve Andrews
Published: December 1, 2016
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Headlines around the country during the last five days show the horrid, hurtful and harmful problem of priests sexually abusing children in this country has not gone away.
The molestation of young boys humiliated the Diocese of St. Petersburg back in 2002. Under Bishop Robert Lynch the diocese addressed transparency.
The lawyer who represented many of the early 2000s victims, heard what the incoming bishop had to say, but he didn’t hear what he had hoped. “I think he should’ve reassured people in the diocese that, that was a priority, because it really is kind of the elephant in the room with the Catholic Church,” attorney Joe Saunders said.
Saunders has represented 30 to 40 clients during the last 15 years who were abused by local priests. He hoped incoming Bishop Gregory Parkes would have addressed the issue at his introduction last Monday. He did not.
“It”s something that’s not going away. It’s not something that’s in the past; abuse is still occurring,” Saunders said.
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