MAINE
Portland Press Herald
Associated Press
Advocates who complained that a party for a priest who was forced to resign in South Portland sent the wrong message to sexual abuse victims have asked Bishop Richard Malone to hold a meeting for parishioners and clergy.
A Catholic parishioner and leaders of a support group for sexual abuse victims sent a letter Thursday to Malone and the Rev. Michael Gendreau, the new pastor at two churches in South Portland, asking them to hold a meeting to open up dialogue between clergy and parishioners as soon as next week.
"We need to get together and talk about this issue," said Catherine Morin Campbell, a parishioner in South Portland. "We can't claim to care about abuse victims while allowing possible predators to be publicly honored."
Among those who signed the letter were David Clohessy and Ann Hagan Webb. Both head the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a support group.