VIENNA (VA)
ABC 7 News
June 3, 2019
By Anna-Lysa Gayle
Local advocates are calling for more transparency in Catholic churches.
They held a town hall discussion on the issue on Monday night, in Vienna.
Among the demands discussed were calls for a third-party national hotline, to hear out tips involving clerical sex abuse and full transparency throughout an investigation, when it comes to clerical sex abuse victims and their families.
Our Lady of Good Counsel’s Advocates for Church and Transparency hopes leaders will take action on the issue at the upcoming Conference of Catholic Bishops next Tuesday in Baltimore.
“We just want to make sure that that is a set procedure, for us to always be informed – in terms of what’s going on in this parish and within this diocese and make sure we are armed with the information we need to know as parishioners who are making decisions about ourselves, our faith, our kids, etc,” said Kevin Bae.
In his letter last month, Pope Francis called for clear standards for supporting victims and their families and protections for whistleblowers.
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