The acts that Father Romano perpetrated against my brother, his friends and the many other innocent young children are unspeakable. The knowledge that he is behind locked doors is the only comfort we have. But why did this take so long and why were the protectors of our faith, the very leaders of our church so insensitive to the welfare of our young catholic boys and girls? They shielded and protected, not the innocent youth but the sexual predator that they knew Father Romano was and is. They lied to their congregations when they placed these criminals in our midst and passed them off as faithful, holy men.

My family continues to participate in the Catholic faith. Obviously, our faith has been tested and will continue to be tested in the months to come. This is not about faith in God. This is about justice for those who are the most vulnerable and need the protection of us all, our children. I am hoping that the leaders of our church will not continue to ignore the needs of all of their faithful. The abuse of the disadvantaged and vulnerable should not be tolerated by moral men and women. Our spiritual leaders need to inspire confidence in the faithful that they are moral men who are not driven by power and concealment but by the needs of their spiritual community. It is my hope that others who have suffered abuse will be inspired to seek help. It is my hope that the families of these victims will continue to support their loved ones as they struggle through their feelings of isolation, guilt, self-blame, and the myriad of issues they have. We can no longer help my brother through his own struggles and we can only live with that knowledge as we watch his beautiful children grow up without him. It is my hope that the leaders of the church will acknowledge the issues within their own houses of God in an attempt to start the healing and reconciliation we all deserve.
Thank you.