Advocates Want Bishop’s Attention, by Brian Yocono and Caroline Cornish, WCSH6-NBC, January 11, 2009

Survivors and advocates gather in Scarborough

Michael Sweatt of the National Survivors Advocate Coalition

John Vellante speaks in support of Marie Tupper

Reporter Brian Yocono at St. Maximilian Kolbe church in Scarborough

Stickers: Bishop Malone, Please Meet with Marie Tupper

Anne Barrett Doyle speaks in support of Marie Tupper

Diocesan statement by Sue Bernard

Survivors and advocates after Mass at St. Maximilian Kolbe church in Scarborough

Transcript: Advocates Want Bishop’s Attention

By Brian Yocono and Caroline Cornish
WCSH6-NBC
January 11, 2009

http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx?aid=45097&storyid=98770

[Transcribed by BishopAccountability.org from the streaming video. See also Police Called to Scarborough Church, by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, January 11, 2009. For background, see Marie Tupper's 11/16/05 statement.]

Caroline Cornish: In the middle of today's snowstorm, several people from Massachusetts drove to Scarborough to send a message to Roman Catholic Bishop Richard Malone. They joined other advocates for survivors of priest abuse in calling for more action by the bishop. News Center's Brian Yocono reports.

Voiceover, Michael Sweatt: Your presence here sends a very strong message to others.

Brian Yocono: Snow was not enough to keep this group of advocates and priest abuse survivors away. They are here for Marie Tupper, a mother from Boothbay Harbor whose son was allegedly abused by a priest [Rev. Thomas M. Lee]. She wants to meet with Bishop Richard Malone.

Michael Sweatt [of the National Survivors Advocate Coalition]: She doesn't need to go to the bishop. I think now's the time for the bishop to go to her. She has repeatedly asked for meetings. Now it's time for him to be the pastoral shepherd that he should be and come forward and meet with her.

Brian Yocono: John Vellante drove up from Massachusetts. He says he suffered abuse at the hands of a priest and thinks meeting with the bishop would facilitate healing.

John Vellante: In my mother's case it would have meant so much. She died without a priest ever saying, "We're sorry for what we did to your son." I just think it would mean so much to Marie Tupper and give her some inner peace.

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: For survivor John Vellante, see Abuse Alleged at Wellesley Seminary, by Matt Carroll, Boston Globe, August 10, 2002; and Victims No More, by Christopher Heffron and Mary Jo Dangel, St. Anthony Messenger, June 2003. Michael Sweatt is a survivor of abuse by Mr. Charles Malia, a teacher and coach at Cheverus High School; see articles about Malia.]

Brian Yocono: The group traveled to St. Maximilian Kolbe, where Bishop Malone was saying Mass. The group's message is actually on these stickers. It says:

Bishop Malone,

Please Meet
with
Marie Tupper

and they're wearing them on the front and the back of their jackets during Mass. They say they're staying silent – this is a silent message – but it’s one they think’s being heard pretty clearly.

Anne Barrett Doyle: He needs to go to Boothbay Harbor to that parish [Our Lady Queen of Peace] and make clear that it is a safe environment for victims to come forward, and that victims must be supported.

Brian Yocono: Diocesan spokesperson Sue Bernard says the church's experience with this group shows their demands are always changing. [Reads excerpt from Bernard’s statement.]

"Mrs. Tupper met with Bishop Joseph Gerry a few years ago about this. Counseling has been offered. Last month Bishop Malone offered her a meeting with the highest-ranking person on his staff along with the chair of the independent review board."

Tupper was not with the group in Scarborough. It says the offers from the diocese are not enough. In Scarborough, Brian Yocono, News Center.

Caroline Cornish: The group says it will not stop asking the bishop for a meeting. You can find the full text of the response from the Diocese of Portland on our website. [See also below.]

Statement by Sue Bernard of the Diocese of Portland

Mrs. Tupper met with Bishop Joseph Gerry a few years ago about this. Counseling has been offered. Last month, Bishop Malone offered her a meeting with the highest ranking person on his staff along with the chair of the independent Review Board because they would be better able to address the specific questions she asked. Past experience with this group tells us even if we meet this demand, the demands continue to change and increase. Of course the bishop should spend time addressing individual requests, but he also has to keep focus on his commitment to make the Church in Maine the safest place possible for children. He is committed to this goal through the new safe environment program for children and the adults who work with them, by removing offending priests and continual encouragement of anyone who has been harmed to make reports to civil authorities and Church officials.