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	Victims of Priest Sexual Abuse Want Stronger Actions from the Pope By Maira Ansari WAVE April 17, 2008 http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=8177757&nav=menu31_2 LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- Pope Benedict XVI is getting a warm welcome where ever he goes in his first U.S. visit. Wednesday, he addressed the nation, speaking about the importance of faith. But the pontiff is not ignoring the sex abuse scandal that still has many victims here in Kentuckiana trying to heal. As WAVE 3's Maira Ansari investigates, victims want to see more done, and the Archdiocese of Louisville says changes have been made. Pope Benedict XVI began his trip to the United States hoping to heal the wounds left in the church by a decades-long sex scandal. "I am deeply ashamed, and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," said the Pope. Shannon Age takes the Pope's words personally and hopes they aren't just empty promises. "I think apologies are good. But, I also think there has to be substance behind it." Age was 4 years old when her Franciscan priest from Mount Saint Francis in Southern Indiana repeatedly sexually abused her and her sister. She is also one of the more than 240 plaintiffs from the Louisville Archdiocese $25 million settlement. "We didn't have our hands out for money. We had our hands out for change so that no more children had to live the life we did," said Age. It is groups like Voice of the Faithful that would like to see more done as well. The organization was formed in 2002 amid outrage over the sex scandal abuse. They want strong actions, not just words, from the Pope. "We want to see bishops held accountable. We want to see more openness accountability. More transparency," said Shannon Whelan of Voice of the Faithful. The sex scandal left the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. financially strapped and morally battered. Locally, the Louisville Archdiocese is still feeling the effects from its multi-million dollar settlement. "Since 2003, we have reduced some our services. Slowly started to build some of that back up, trim some of our staff and been unable to replace those. But that's part of sharing the responsibility of responding to the crime of abuse," said Dr. Brian Reynolds, Chancellor of the Louisville Archdiocese. Age says she is still a Catholic and 40 plus years later, she continues to carry the fear of what happened to her by the priest she was told to respect. "It is part of the fiber of who I am -- it can't be taken away. I can only go on in a positive mode and make sure the same thing doesn't happen to anyone else" said Age. There was a huge breakthrough earlier this week. Kentucky children are getting more protection against sexual predators. A new law takes effect July 1st, making sex abuse of a child up to 16 years old a felony. It extends it to 18 if the abuser is an authority figure like a teacher or pastor. The new law also gives young victims more time to report the crime.
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