HARRISBURG (PA)
Fox 43 News
July 26, 2019
By Jossie Carbonare
The deadline to accept or decline offers from the Diocese of Harrisburg’s Survivor Compensation Program has arrived.
The program was set up in February as an attempt to make financial amends to victims after a Grand Jury report on child sex abuse within six Catholic Dioceses in Pennsylvania.
However, for one of those survivors, who anonymously told FOX43 his story of abuse by a former Diocese of Harrisburg priest, the settlement money simply isn’t enough.
He says “The payoff amount might be enough for some who were victims of the systematic abuse and cover-up by the church leaders and their subordinates, but for me it was a veiled attempt to rid themselves of any future liability or accountability.”
“They have the right to deny it and there is no one forcing them to participate in the program,” said Mike Barley, spokesperson for Diocese of Harrisburg.
Barley says while he believes the program is successful, he understands it’s not going to solve everything.
“Money is not going to erase what was done to them or the issues that have been created and quite frankly their lack of trust with the church but its a step, it’s trying to help them with their lives moving forward.” he added.
Some survivors refused the offer, while others say they feel they need to accept it to feel some sense of closure.
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