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	Statement by Paul Livingston, San Diego SNAP Leader Surivivors Network of Those Abused by Priests February 26, 2009 http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2009_statements/022609_statement_by_paul_ livingston_san_diego_snap_leader.htm (Background: Last Friday, in Los Angeles , Judge Emelie Elias dismissed five more Catholic clergy sex abuse and cover up cases because of the statute of limitations. However, just two weeks ago, a three judge panel in northern California ruled that essentially identical cases could proceed. The issue: how much time child sex abuse victims have to take legal action after they understand that their adult addictions, depression and other difficulties stem from their childhood victimization.) It was almost a year ago when the new Pope visited the USA for the first time. He said "The victims will need healing and help and assistance and reconciliation: this is a big pastoral engagement and I know that the Bishops and the priests and all Catholic people in the United States will do whatever possible to help, to assist, to heal. He didn't say "exploit every conceivable legal loophole" "take advantage of every possible legal maneuver" "hire really expensive and smart lawyers to prevent victims from having their day in court" "do everything you can think of to keep clergy sex crimes and cover ups hidden" But that's essentially what California's bishops are still doing. The pope simply admonished Catholics to "do everything possible" to heal the wounds. http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802012.htm Yet Bishop Brom and his colleagues are still doing all they can to prevent victims of clergy sex victims from even having a chance to have their cases heard in the time honored American judicial system. Once again the church hierarchy is choosing to act like cold hearted CEO's rather than compassionate shepherds. Once again the hierarchy is leaving it to the already deeply wounded victims to warn parishioners and the public about dangerous predators who are or have worked in and near California parishes. Once again the church hierarchy is hiding behind their lawyers and following their advice, rather than the example of Jesus and his compassion for the lost sheep. Once again the church hierarchy has failed to honori ts promises of openness and transparency, and failed to urge those who saw, suspected of suffered horrific child sex crimes to come forward, get help and call police.. Instead, the church hieararchy is using every resource at their disposal to protect its secrets and prevent the public from finding out how much they knew and how little they did about pedophile priests.
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