SEEKING CHANGE
The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh could support giving survivors of child sexual abuse a broader window to sue their attackers — as long as the opportunity would apply across Pennsylvania, not only in the Catholic Church, a spokesman said Monday.
“When we look at the statistics in terms of where all the abuse happens, it’s certainly not just in the Catholic Church,” said the Rev. Ronald Lengwin, who spoke near the diocese offices Downtown. “We really want to try to address this problem in a sincere way, in an effective way, and this community has to come together.”
His remarks followed an impassioned news conference outside diocese headquarters by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, one of several SNAP gatherings held Monday in Pennsylvania. The international group made several demands, urging church officials to expose publicly and denounce any church staffers who helped hide child sexual abuse.
Activists asked Catholic leaders to place — right in their
churches — copies of the landmark grand jury report identifying more than 300 abusive priests and more than 1,000 child victims across six Pennsylvania dioceses, including Pittsburgh’s. SNAP regional directorJudy Jones reiterated calls for Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik to step down, arguing his response has been inadequate since the report’s release last week.
At more than 800 pages, the document covers about seven decades.
“The grand jury report can be compared to the Penn State scandal,” Ms. Jones said, referring to the charges brought against retired assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and three longtime school officials. “As we have seen there, the administrators were fired, and somewent to jail.”
SNAP wants state lawmakers to pass a “civil window” that would help abuse survivors sue abusers, no matter what statutes of limitations are in effect. Child sexual abuse survivors who pursue civil litigation must do so by the time they’re 30, according to Pennsylvania law. Criminal complaints must be brought by the time a victim is 50.
“You and I could have been abused on a Wednesday and a Thursday. You were abused on Wednesday and were inside the statue of limitations. I was abused on Thursday and am outside the statute of limitations,” said SNAP supporter Jim VanSickle, 63, of Coraopolis.
“Does that make my abuse any less important than the person who was inside the statute of limitations?” he said.
Under legislation being explored in Harrisburg, the state could abolish the criminal statute of limitations and broaden options for civil litigation. Through a civil window, survivors could have a limited opportunity — perhaps two years — when they could bring civil lawsuits against abusers, even if prior statutes expired.
Grand jurors endorsed the concepts in their report.
“Until not too long ago, the church was actively and systematically concealing clergy sex abuse,” they wrote. “Victims didn’t know if their attackers had a history of abuse, and they didn’t know the diocese had been enabling that abuse. You can’t very well exercise your right to sue when the people responsible are doing their best to cover up.”
Bishop Zubik has denied any cover-up under his watch and that of his predecessor, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., signaling that he intends to remain at the helm of the local diocese. Church leaders will review SNAP’s requests, but creating a civil window raises legal questions under the Pennsylvania Constitution, Father Lengwin said.
He cited the grand jury report itself. The report also signals that the church and its insurance companies long have opposed a civil window. Pressed on whether the diocese would support the measure now, Father Lengwin said it would have to be constitutional and appliedevenly statewide.
The church wants to be “open to victims,” he said. He had several tense exchanges with SNAP activists as TV cameras rolled.
Bishop Zubik has said the diocese supports ending the criminal statute of limitations.
“I’m telling you we’re looking to the future right now,” Father Lengwin said to reporters. “I’m not looking to the past. We’ve already admitted the past was not good at every turn, and we’re looking to the future.”