Attorneys For Alleged Sexual Abuse Victims "Encouraged" By Pope's Visit

By Ryan Whalen
TWC News
October 05, 2015

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2015/10/5/papal-visit.html

AMHERST, N.Y. -- At the beginning of his trip to the United States, Pope Francis took some criticism from victims' advocates for comments he made praising American bishops on how they'd handled the church's sexual abuse scandal.

"At least at the beginning of his visit he wasn't addressing the issue at all," HoganWillig attorney Diane Tiveron said.

Among those critical of the Pope were Tino Flores and Vanessa DeRosa. Flores claimed to have been abused by a priest starting when he was ten while DeRosa said she was abused by a Catholic School teacher when she was thirteen.

"We are hopeful that the Pope lives up to his word and delivers some relief to people who have been so badly abused," HoganWillig attorney Steven Cohen said.

Last month, they held a candlelight vigil outside of Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone's home while the Bishop was in D.C. to see the pope.

"I do want to see some more action, some more support for some legislative changes, the sorts of things that the Catholic church can certainly do," Tiveron said.

With help from HoganWillig Attorneys at Law, DeRosa and Flores have twice asked for their own papal audience. According to the Vatican Press Office, Francis privately met with five alleged abuse survivors on September 27th in Philadelphia. HoganWillig would not comment on whether or not its clients were among the five but said it was pleased by the Pope's promise that day to hold abusers accountable.

"We're encouraged that he had changed," Tiveron said. "We think that it's a direct result of meetings that he had, direct result of some of the pressure that he received regarding the statements that he made and we hope that only good can continue to come of this."

HoganWillig said it has had conversations with Apostolic Nuncio Carlo Maria Viganò, a high-ranking Vatican Diplomat, about their clients' cases. It said it doesn't have confidence in the Diocese of Buffalo to act without the Pope's intervention.

"Notwithstanding the sentiments expressed by the Pope during his recent visit and our communications with the Apostolic Nuncio, we have heard absolutely nothing from the Buffalo diocese since the Pope's visit," Cohen said.

The Diocese did not have an immediate response Monday night when asked about HoganWillig's comments.