HARRISBURG (PA)
ABC 27 News
August 14, 2019
By Tin Nguyen
In the year since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg was reported to have maintained over hundreds of priest accused of sexual abuse crimes, they have attempted to make amends with the community.
Most recently, the Survivor Compensation Program was enacted by the diocese to serve as a means of reparations for the survivors of abuse, managed by private mediation firm Commonwealth Mediation and Conciliation, Inc.
112 survivors participated in the program with 106 survivors accepting an offer of compensation. $12.1 million total payments were made to survivors in the program.
The process of attempting to amend began with the removal of all bishops names from positions of honor within the diocese for failing to do enough to prevent childhood sexual abuse and of priests, deacons and seminarians named in the report.
The diocese additionally conducted nine listening sessions for church members and survivors to express their concerns and frustrations with the church.
Moving forward, the Harrisburg diocese looks to continually attempt to right an understated gross oversight by implementing more than a dozen procedures.
The diocese has contracted Janet McNeal, a retired Pennsylvania State Police Captain who oversaw Megan’s Law, to oversee the Diocese’s Safe Environment Program.
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