Victims on Archbishop's "Healing Mass" Tonight

SNAP
September 22, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_on_archbishop_s_healing_mass_tonight

Tonight, Archbishop Nienstedt has scheduled a “healing mass” for clergy sex abuse victims.

At worst, this is a cynical public relations move. At best, it misses the mark.

Nienstedt's focus should be on real reforms that actually make kids safer, not symbolic gestures that make him seem nicer or that make a few adults temporarily feel better.

Nienstedt's first job should be protecting the vulnerable. And much remains to be done on this front.

He should discipline – publicly and harshly – those who hid or ignored clergy sex crimes, to deter such irresponsible behavior in the first place. He should start with Fr. Kevin McDonough and those who have most recently been caught protecting predators and endangering kids.

He should support – not oppose – reforming secular child safety laws (specially the archaic, predator-friendly statute of limitations).

He should house – in remote, secure, independent treatment centers – every proven, admitted or suspended and credibly accused child molesting cleric, so that kids will be safer.

We could go on and on and on.

Quite frankly, adults can heal themselves, with or without action by Nienstedt. (It certainly helps when church officials provide therapy to victims of course.) But kids need the archbishop to take strong action to protect them from child molesting clerics.