Cardinal George's Letter Published on Priest Sex Abuse Cases

WLS
January 12, 2014

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=9390398

[with video]

January 12, 2014 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago-area Catholics attending mass on Sunday will find a letter likely in their church bulletins. The letter addresses the diocese's handling of sex abuse cases involving priests.

The letter is titled "Accountability and Transparency," and describes to parishioners the plan to release church files on former Catholic priests accused of sexually abusing children. The Cardinal did not read or acknowledge the letter at mass on Sunday morning.

"They've been negotiated so that the victim's aren't victimized again in the files. So, it was primarily to tell them that, and to put a perspective on the whole story," said Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago.

Cardinal George went on to say most of the incidents happened decades ago, by priests he's never met or talked to.

The church will disclose documents identifying 30 former clergy members accused in sexual abuse cases and the files will also identify church officials that are accused of protecting them.

Cardinal George says publishing the documents for all to read, quote "raises transparency to a new level. It will be helpful, we pray, for some, but painful for many."

And while the Cardinal says he never knew the accused clergy members, his letter goes on to identify Father Daniel McCormack and the handling of his case, one that happened on Cardinal George's watch. He writes quote "the response, in retrospect, was not always adequate to all the facts, but a mistake is not a cover-up."

Members of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests plan to protest outside of Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday. SNAP members spoke earlier about Sunday's letter.

"We believe that Cardinal George's words in his letter are self-serving. We believe that Cardinal George should reveal the documents himself," said Barbara Blaine, SNAP.

Those documents will be released on Wednesday, and the information will be public a week later.