Clergy Sex Abuse Survivor Speaks out

WWTV 7
October 11, 2018

http://www.wwnytv.com/story/39273026/clergy-sex-abuse-survivor-speaks-out

In 1971, when he was 11-years-old, Jim Cummings says he was sexually abused by Father Paul Worczak at Holy Family Church in Watertown.

"He did a lot of grooming of his victims back then," he said.

After he was abused, Cummings says that Worczak shunned him and led other children to do the same.

It wasn't long before Worczak tried again.

Cummings did not want to get into the details of his abuse, but he did speak about a time after it stopped, when Worczak lured him into his car.

"He leaned over and went to kiss me on the lips and I flinched and I grabbed the door handle and I made to move out of the car and he said, 'You get out of this car now, I'll never talk to you again,'" said Cummings.

Now, nearly 50 years later the Church is trying yo make amends, but Cummings says it needs to take a new approach.

"They gotta stop wasting their time with the healing masses. They're not working. They haven't reached any of us," he said.

Cummings is one of the survivors receiving money from the diocese as reparations for his abuse.

In July, Cummings says he got $55,000. But he says none of that matters until the diocese reveals the names of all of the clergy who have been accused of abuse.

"If they release the names, they are basically admitting that the problem exists, they're willing to show integrity, honesty, transparency," he said.

The names of eight clergy members from the Diocese of Ogdensburg, including Worczak, have already been revealed. There are still at least 15 more who are unnamed.

The diocese has recently said it is considering the idea of revealing those remaining names.