Contact: John Moynihan, jmoynihan@votf.org ,(617) 680-2131

For Immediate Release

Newton, MA June 15, 2006 - The Catholic Church in this country continues to be plagued by the worst crisis in its history and yet the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has failed to place any discussion of the clergy abuse scandal on the agenda for its semi-annual meeting, June 15-17, in Los Angeles. Voice of the Faithful calls upon the bishops to:

• Create a national data base for credibly accused priests as has been done locally in dioceses such as Chicago and Joliet, IL and Philadelphia, PA
  Many priests have been defrocked from the priesthood or relieved from their priestly duties, but they cannot be prosecuted due to Statutes of Limitations laws. A central national listing of these perpetrators would help protect countless children from further abuse.

• Support legislation extending or eliminating the time limits under State Statutes of Limitations Laws dealing with sexual abuse
  It has been shown that it takes victims many years to recognize that they have been abused. Elimination of these statutes will allow justice for survivors, will support due process for priests and will serve as a deterrent to future abuse.

• Fully fund the “Causes and Context” Study
  The bishops voted in 2002 to create a study of the Causes and Context of Clergy Sexual Abuse but then waited until November 2005 to award the contract to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The study is still not fully funded. If the bishops are sincere about solving this problem, they would stop delaying and provide the necessary funds to complete the job.

• Financial Accountability and Transparency
  We also call on the bishops to urge all dioceses to adhere to a policy of full
  financial accountability and transparency so that the faithful will be fully aware of
  how their contributions are being utilized.
  

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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 survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching.