Victim Advocacy Group Calling for Springfield Bishop Rozanski's Resignation

By Morgyn Joubert
Western Mass News WGGB/WSHM
June 22, 2020

https://www.westernmassnews.com/news/victim-advocacy-group-calling-for-springfield-bishop-rozanskis-resignation/article_8a97a366-b758-11ea-95ce-7ba555cec976.html

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- A victim advocacy group is calling for the resignation of Springfield Bishop Mitchell Rozanski.

Road To Recovery Inc., an organization based in New Jersey is also pushing for Pope Francis to rescind Bishop Rozanski's appointment as Archbishop of Saint Louis, Missouri.

They claim that Judge Peter Velis's validation of the sexual abuse claims made against late Bishop Christopher Weldon shows Bishop Rozanski and his diocese review board are unable to fairly and accurately handle claims of clergy sexual abuse and they must all resign immediately.

The group will be holding a presser tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. on the front steps of the Diocese of Springfield's headquarters at 65 Elliot Street.

Western Mass News did reach out to the diocese for comment and responded by referring to Bishop Rozanski's previous comments about the report, saying quote:

"Most importantly I want to sincerely apologize to this victim, not just for the terrible abuse he had to endure as a young child, abuse which still haunts him to this very day, but I want to apologize for the chronic mishandling of his case time and time again since 2014."