Contact: Suzanne Morse 617-680-2131, smorse@votf.org

For Immediate Release

Statement on the Guilty Verdict on the Paul Shanley Trial

Newton, Mass. - February 7, 2005 - Voice of the Faithful is pleased to see that the criminal justice system has worked to protect children and to provide justice to survivors of clergy sexual abuse with today's guilty verdict against Paul Shanley.

Paul Shanley has become one of the symbols of the clergy sexual abuse crisis in this country. His actions wounded many young men and women, creating life-long trauma; damaged the trust between the institutional Church and lay Catholics; and injured the whole Catholic Church in the United States. Public officials, lay Catholics, and Bishops must hold accountable the perpetrators of these crimes and those who allowed them to persistently abuse for decades.

Today's verdict was another step on the long road of seeking justice and healing for the survivor community and within the Catholic Church. We hope that this verdict will continue to galvanize Catholics and public officials in the pursuit of justice. The survivor who courageously gave testimony and the prosecutors who worked so diligently on this case are to be commended for their hard work and their willingness to pursue the truth. Voice of the Faithful will continue to promote justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, accountability for those Bishops who knowingly transferred abusive priests, and healing and renewal for the entire Church.

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About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group's mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. Its goals are to support victim/survivors of abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching. VOTF’s supporting membership exceeds 30,000 registered persons from 50 U.S. states, 39 countries and 210 Parish Voice affiliates throughout the world.