PENNSYLVANIA
Philly.com
by Maria Panaritis, STAFF WRITER
Archbishop Charles Chaput has called all Catholic priests from southeastern Pennsylvania to meetings Tuesday to discuss proposed state legislation – as lawmakers in Harrisburg this week consider a bill that for the first time would allow some victims of child sex abuse to sue their attackers and the institutions that employed them.
The priests have been asked to attend one of two meetings, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., at St. Helena Church in Blue Bell, Montgomery County, according to a source with knowledge of the event.
The invitations, from by Msgr. Daniel Sullivan, vicar of clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, did not specify which legislation would be discussed.
Archdiocesan spokesman Ken Gavin declined Monday to discuss the gathering, calling it “a private one between the Archbishop and the clergy,” and noting that “such meetings take place on a regular basis.”
But the meetings come as the state Senate has begun to meet with advocates about a bill to extend the civil statute of limitations on child sex abuse to age 50. Approved overwhelmingly by the House earlier this year, the measure would allow victims to file lawsuits for abuse that happened in some cases several decades ago.
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