ROME (ITALY)
CBS News
February 25, 2019
Three clergy abuse survivors all want to know why the Catholic Church still has not laid out concrete steps to stop child sex abuse. “CBS This Morning” has followed their fight for justice since last year, all the way from the U.S. to Rome, where they attended a summit with church leaders and called for a zero-tolerance policy for abuse.
On Sunday Pope Francis addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, promising to confront abusers with “the wrath of God,” end the cover-ups by church officials, and prioritize the victims of what he termed “brazen, aggressive and destructive evil.”
But the survivors told CBS News correspondent Nikki Battiste they all want to know why the Catholic Church still has not laid out concrete steps to stop child sex abuse.
Battiste asked them how they’re feeling after the pope’s speech.
Mary Dispenza, a former nun, said, “I don’t think our children are any safer now than four days ago, by what I heard.”
“What’s one word you would use to describe how this summit went?”
Dispenza said, “Disappointing.”
Shaun Dougherty, who was molested by a teacher at a Catholic grade school when he was 10, said, “Shortfall.”
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania State Legislator Mark Rozzi, who said his priest raped him when he was 13 years old, characterized it as “a start.”
Battiste asked, “What would you say to survivors and victims listening who might be disappointed by this summit?”
“Don’t give up,” said Dougherty.
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