Abuse fund is a step in the right direction

It will offer financial compensation to credible victims of childhood sexual abuse by Catholic priests.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia this week did something the Pennsylvania Senate could not do: deliver a measure of justice to childhood victims of sexual abuse.

Or at least the archdiocese’s version of justice.

Officials this week rolled out their Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program.

It will offer financial compensation to credible victims of childhood sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The archdiocese sent letters to nearly 350 credible victims inviting them to take part in the program.

The move comes in the wake of the latest damning state grand jury report that laid bare the sins of the fathers. The grand jury reported more than 300 priests abused more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses for decades. Even worse, it found the same pattern of secrets, cover-ups and shuffling of problem priests by bishops who clearly were more interested in protecting the church than innocent children.

The most recent grand jury under the charge of Attorney General Josh Shapiro made several recommendations. One of them was for the Legislature to open a window for past victims of abuse by priests – in cases where the statute of limitations has long since expired – to have their day in court.

Legislation to do just that passed the House, but stalled in the Senate where it never even made it onto the floor for a vote.

That brings us to this week’s announcement of the compensation program.

Lynn Shiner, a victim support facilitator who will work with the program, did not mince words when asked what the program might accomplish.

“This program isn’t about bringing closure or about making victims whole,” Shiner said at a press conference at which the panel was introduced. “Sadly, that will never happen. Nor is it about restoring their faith in the Catholic church. It’s about acknowledging the pain, the unjust harm and the archdiocese’s failure to protect them.” Pretty strong words. Kenneth Feinberg, who served as special master of the September 11 Compensation Fund, and Camille Biros, another 9/11 Fund veteran, are involved in determining the amount of the awards.

They made clear there is no cap on the amount that can be awarded.

There is, however, one very large string attached.

In order to take part in the program, credible victims must sign a waiver forfeiting the right to take any other action against the church.

Victims groups and abuse advocates have opposed the measure. They again are calling on state legislators to address the situation and approve the grand jury recommendations. But that process now must start all over, with a lot of new faces in both the House and Senate.

“Money can’t buy back a wounded person’s wholeness,” said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput in a statement. “But what compensation can do is acknowledge the evil done and meaningfully assist survivors as they work to find greater peace in their lives.”

Ironically, all of this comes as the nation’s bishops were gathering about a hundred miles down the road in Baltimore.

Astoundingly, the group – apparently under orders from the Vatican – is not yet ready to embrace that notion.

Bishops fully expected to vote on several reform efforts to address the issue of abusive priests and bishops who failed in their mission to adequately address the problem, and in fact in many cases actually enabled it.

But bishops soon learned after arrival that Pope Francis was ordering them not to take any votes on a slate of reform proposals, an effort to address an issue that has created fissures in the pews and roiled the Catholic community, including many priests and bishops.

We still support legislation that will create a window for victims of decades-old abuse to have their day in court. We urge passage of the changes in state law that would eliminate the statute of limitations and expand the time period to sue in all future cases, and that it be applied to all cases of abuse, not just those involving the Catholic church.

We acknowledge that this week’s announcement of a compensation fund is a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, that’s a step too many church leaders are still reluctant to take.