BishopAccountability.org
	Diocese of Spfld Bishop on Clergy Abuse Wwlp May 24, 2010 http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/springfield-bishop-on-clergy-abuse [with video] For the first time in months, we're hearing publicly from Bishop Timothy McDonnell. The leader of Springfield-area Catholics is dealing with the pressure of church cutbacks, and most recently more allegations of clergy sex abuse. Last week another alleged victim of clergy abuse came forward, and the Bishop told 22News he's deeply saddened and the diocese is doing everything it can to stop it. "Bad things did happen and bad things were done and they shouldn't have been done, but I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could change it," said Bishop McDonnell. But that apology is not enough for Petter Caffery, who says he was molested by convicted pedophile priest, Richard Lavigne. Caffery filed a civil suit accusing former Bishops Joseph Maguire and Thomas Dupre for allowing the abuse to happen. Current Bishop Timothy McDonnell told 22News the Church tried to help Caffery. "We had started to deal with the individual very, very closely and then all of the sudden he broke off the relationship with us and I don't know what happened there. I wish I knew," said Bishop McDonnell. The Bishop told 22News that there are child abuse prevention programs in place and they're doing everything they can to make sure it does not happen again. "We look into the background. Everything is checked. I'm praying that no new cases have been happening. And it seems to be working what we're trying to undertake to protect children, because that has to be the foremost. I've been trying to do that since the day I arrived here," said Bishop McDonnell. The Bishop also spoke with 22News about Father James Scahill, who asked the Pope to step down last month. The Bishop told us he disagreed with Scahill, and he has spoken with Scahill about the issue.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.