Springfield Bishop ‘truly sorry’ for Catholic church’s failure to protect children, calls for ‘prayer and action’ during Child Abuse Prevention Month
Updated 9:54 AM;
Today 9:54 AM
Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne speaks with reporters Oct. 14, 2020, at the Bishop Marshall Center at St. Michael s Cathedral. Don Treeeger / The Republican file)
Facebook Share
SPRINGFIELD Saying that he is “truly sorry” for the Roman Catholic Church’s failure to protect children, Springfield Bishop William Byrne is calling on church members to join him in “prayer and action” as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“I ask you this month to join me in prayer and action as we work together as a Catholic Church and a wider community to continue to create safe environments for all children and implement best practices to prevent abuse of anyone,” Byrne says in a video message on the diocesan website. “We will protect God’s children.”
Guest Column Judge Daniel Ford: A great deal has been accomplished gazettenet.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gazettenet.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Last fall, in my capacity as chair of the Independent Task Force on the Response to Sexual Abuse within the Diocese of Springfield, I wrote an op-ed providing an overview of the work the task force was undertaking with emphasis on the stakeholder input that we would be seeking.
I write now to affirm that the task force has been actively engaged and has made excellent progress in our data collection endeavor and in other phases of our work.
First, as we announced at a press conference on Jan. 8, we engaged the services of Stop It Now!, an independent professional organization in Northampton, to conduct focus groups with survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Obviously, there is no more important group from whom we need input than the men and women who have been sexually victimized by priests and other diocesan employees. We expect to receive the report from Stop It Now! on or about March 31, and it will certainly be an important element of our final report.
Polish-born priest holds major Springfield diocesan post 8 years after being ordained masslive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from masslive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Springfield Diocese hires ‘neutral’ agency to gather input from sex abuse victims to improve accountability, prevention
Updated Jan 07, 2021;
8
Facebook Share
A Deerfield-based organization contracted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is seeking help from clergy sexual abuse survivors as it develops recommendations for the diocese to improve prevention and accountability.
The announcement that recruitment of survivors who were sexually abused by Catholic priests, sisters and other members of the church community is underway by Stop It Now! for an independent report to the diocese was made during a press conference Thursday afternoon outside the Bishop Marshall Center on Elliot Street.