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

For Immediate Release

VOTF Asks Santa Rosa Diocese to Reform
Sexual Abuse Response Policies

June 27, 2006 - In response to the recent child abuse scandal involving Fr. Xavier Ochoa in the Diocese of Santa Rosa (CA), national and local leaders of the Catholic lay reform group, Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), have called upon Church leaders to revise diocesan policies dealing with sexual abuse. In an open letter addressed to Bishop Daniel Walsh and the Santa Rosa Diocesan Council, VOTF North Bay, CA stated: “The latest news about Father Ochoa is distressing and sadly demonstrates what many of us suspect - the sexual abuse crisis is still very much with our Church. It will take years of resolute vigilance and compassion to heal our community. But it also requires a commitment to reform a clerical structure so deeply entrenched in our history and our tradition that a bishop could justify in his own mind protecting a predator instead of a child.”

The letter criticizes Bishop Walsh and diocesan officials for their delay in reporting Fr. Ochoa to legal authorities as required by California law – a delay which allowed Ochoa to flee the state: “One is still left with the impression there was no sense of urgency about the matter. Why wasn’t there at least an attempt to consult the authorities, the sheriff or Child Protective Services, on Friday, April 28? Why wasn’t Fr. Ochoa at least supervised after the meeting?”

VOTF North Bay also notes that the meeting with Fr. Ochoa involved only clerics and not Julie Sparacio, the diocesan Victim’s Assistance Coordinator. “She is the diocesan expert on the reporting of sexual abuse incidents. Her expertise would have been invaluable,” said the letter.

The organization pointed out that the diocese had violated their own practices for the reporting of sexual abuse. “Some of us attended the workshops offered by the Diocese on the education and the prevention of child sexual abuse. Representatives of the Diocese made it clear to us that if we suspected child abuse we were to report it to the legal authorities immediately, and that is especially true if it was an admission of guilt.”

The letter made the following suggestions to diocesan officials:

1. "Expand the role of the Victims’ Assistance Coordinator. She ought to be a more central figure in the process of consultation.
2. Assign someone from the diocese, other than the diocesan lawyer, to report incidents of abuse. This should be done by telephone, directly to the proper authorities, immediately, within hours, not days.
3. Recommit yourselves to a lay review board dedicated to the prevention of sexual abuse and to the review of possible allegations. We recommend that a survivor of sexual abuse be a member of the board.”

The letter concluded: “We see a real need to develop viable ways to expand the role of the laity in our diocese. We do not believe silence and timidity are the answer. Let us be forthright about our call for greater accountability from all members of our community including our leaders.”

The full text of the letter may be viewed at the VOTF website.

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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.