CHICAGO (IL)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Dear Chicago priest:
By now, you’ve seen a letter that Cardinal George wants you to give your flock this weekend. Please ask yourself this question: “Does that letter help protect the vulnerable?”
It does not.
And ask yourself: “Does that letter help heal the wounded, expose wrongdoers or deter wrongdoing?”
Again, it does not.
The letter burnishes your boss’ image. It misleads people. It causes complacency. Because it is self-serving and deceptive, it rubs salt into the already-deep and often still-fresh wounds of suffering victims and betrayed Catholics.
But it doesn’t make one child safer. It doesn’t expose one person who committed or concealed child sex crimes. It is about public relations, not public safety. It’s about spin, not about truth.
So we urge you to ignore the letter. We humbly believe that’s the right thing to do.
That takes courage, because in a feudal monarchy like the church, bucking the boss could cause you difficulty. But for the sake of actual prevention and true healing, we ask you to find this courage.
And we ask you instead to take a simple step this weekend that WILL help protect children. We ask that you read aloud from the pulpit and print in your bulletin the names of proven, admitted, credibly accused current and former Chicago child molesting clerics.
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