WILKES-BARRE (PA)
Times Leader
January 26, 2019
What to make of the Diocese of Scranton’s new “Independent Survivors Compensation Program”?
On the face of it, ignoring past actions both within this diocese and throughout the United States Catholic hierarchy, and ignoring outside pressures for stronger action in the long-standing sex abuse scandal that has plagued the Church, this feels right.
It makes sense to hire an outside group to administer a compensation program. It’s laudable and logical that the program is open to all victims, whether victimized by a priest of the diocese proper (there is an important distinction between a diocesan priest and priest practicing within the diocese), as well as by someone from a religious order or a lay employee of the diocese.
The program includes the critical caveat that even victims who have not yet reported past abuses can participate after reporting abuse in writing to a District Attorney’s Office.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.