VENICE (FL)
Herald-Tribune
By CHRISTINA E. SANCHEZ
christina.sanchez@heraldtribune.com
VENICE -- Barbara DiCocco has signed on for a tough job, but one she sees as critical in helping the Catholic Church move forward from one of its most painful periods.
DiCocco, a licensed clinical social worker for 35 years, was recently hired by the Venice diocese to counsel those who claim to have been sexually abused by Catholic Church clergy, staff or volunteers.
"Instead of casting a stone, I felt a duty to help my church," said DiCocco, a Catholic who has followed the abuse allegations issue.
Since exposure of a sex abuse scandal rocked the Catholic Church almost four years ago, Catholic dioceses around the country and locally have been working to regain the trust of church members.