SPRINGFIELD (MA)
The Republican
June 7, 2019
By Anne-Gerard Flynn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has renamed its department that oversees clergy sexual abuse allegations — as well as matters related to child protection and victim outreach —and made two new appointments.
Effective June 10, Jeffrey J. Trant will serve as director of the newly designated Office of Safe Environment and Victim Assistance, and Li-Ling Lam-Waller is its compliance officer.
The appointments are designed to improve outreach to victims following feedback from parish sessions Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski held earlier this year. The sessions followed concerns about how this diocese handles clergy sex abuse allegations in the wake of a number of national and international investigations into clergy abuse.
The announcement also comes in advance of Rozanski’s attendance next week at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Spring General Assembly in Baltimore. It will focus on bishop accountability measures to address the abuse crisis.
“The re-naming of the former office of Child & Youth Protections is to better define the mission of the office,” diocesan spokesperson Mark Dupont said.
He added, “It doesn’t immediately change any of the reporting procedures, but with the addition of a compliance coordinator it will allow more time for the director to work directly with victims as well as evaluate what other changes might be necessary for the office to be more effective. This new structure was brought about by an internal evaluation which began back in January and from what we heard at the listening sessions from victims and their advocates.”
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