OREGON
KATU
BY JACKIE LABRECQUE, KATU NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 1ST 2016
PORTLAND, Ore. — “Spotlight,” the movie that won best picture at the Oscars, reignited the conversation surrounding the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal, especially among survivors.
The movie depicts how Globe reporters uncovered a network of priests abusing children and systemic cover-up by the Catholic Church.
“This film gave a voice to survivors and this Oscar amplifies that voice, which we hope will become a choir that will resonate all the way to the Vatican,” said Michael Sugar, the film’s director upon accepting the Oscar Sunday night.
Monday afternoon, the columnist Lucetta Scaraffia, wrote for the Vatican’s news, L’Osservatore Romano:
“The fact that a call arose from the Oscar ceremony that Pope Francis fight this scourge should be seen as a positive sign: there is still trust in the institution, there is trust in a Pope who is continuing the cleaning begun by his predecessor, then still a cardinal. There is still trust in a faith that has at its heart the defence of victims, the protection of the innocent.”
KATU News reached out to the Archdiocese of Portland for comment on the movie and the buzz it is generating. We heard back on Tuesday afternoon. The full statement from Archbishop Alexander Sample reads:
“The recent critical acclaim given to the movie “Spotlight” draws the attention of all of us to a very sad and tragic chapter in the history of the Church in the United States. I repeat what I have said many times during my ten years as bishop: That I am sorry beyond words for the harm done to victims and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy. I hope many will take the time to familiarize themselves with the sincere and rigorous efforts the Church has made to create safe environments for children and young people so that this tragedy will never happen again”
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