Press Release
National Survivor Support Working Group

For Immediate Release:
Saturday, April 19, 2008

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Catholics must accept responsibility to ACT to find survivors.

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The Survivor Support Working Group of Voice of the Faithful urges all Catholics, lay and ordained to go to their parishes tomorrow to meet with sexual abuse survivors, apologize to them and hear their stories.

This means inviting survivors to your parish. It also means making an active effort to FIND survivors. Voice of the Faithful Survivor Support Working Group Chair Kristine Ward says, "If Catholics were looking for permission to acknowledge survivors, the Pope gave it to them on Thursday when he met with survivors. Now we must all accept our responsibility to ACT."

Pope Benedict at St. Patrick's Cathedral today spoke to priests and members of religious orders about the sexual abuse scandal. We invite them to join with us by inviting survivors to their parishes lovingly and openly to hear their stories.

Catholics should remember that we are three years into this papacy, yet, it was a United Nation's invitation that brought him to the U. S. Human rights; are of primary concern to all civilized nations. Human rights must include sexual abuse survivors and the protection of children.

The Pope must discipline his Bishops. Any bishop who covered up for priests who abused children and young people must be removed from office or voluntarily resign to show the faithful what living the faith means. Bishops should begin fraternal correction with those Bishops who are themselves abusers. Pope Benedict's moment of compassion will not be sustained unless there is justice, and justice begins at home.

We call to consciousness for the members of our organization and by extension all Roman Catholic laity, in addition to the ordained, those living and working among us who are victims of sexual abuse by clergy and religious who remain unknown.

We ask for a vigilance during this week that particular care may be taken in conversations in our working environments, our Church lives and our private lives that no action or word of ours will in any way add to the burdens of survivors, their families and the families of the dead.

Kristine Ward, Chair
National Survivor Support Working Group, VOTF

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National Survivor Support Working Group
Contact Information

Kristine Ward, Ohio 937-272-0308

Rev. Robert Hoatson, New York 862-368-2800

Michael Sweatt, Maine 207 831 3791

Steve Sheehan, Massachusetts 617-319-0477

James Jenkins, California 510-599-5173

Marjorie Bean, Massachusetts 781-648-4646

Tom Byrnes, Ohio 216-295-0817

Bob Schwiderski, Minnesota 952-471-3422

Lisa Kendzior, Texas 817-773-5907

Chuck Miller, Maryland 302-234-1519

Frank Douglas, Arizona 520-404-2489

Ed Friedl, Ohio 330-499-6842
Carolyn Disco, New Hampshire 917-620-8172

Survivor Support Working Group | PO. Box 423 | Newton | MA | 02424