The Southern Berks News

Speaking out for victims of clergy abuse

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The Archdioces­e of Philadelph­ia is learning that while a key aspect of House Bill 1947 might be going away, its biggest booster is not.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-126th Dist., of Berks County, the man who authored the controvers­ial language in the bill that would have retroactiv­ely extended the window for victims of child sexual abuse that occurred decades ago to sue the molesters and those that employed them, took his case to the church this week.

Rozzi knows a little something about the church and sexual abuse. He was an altar boy and a victim decades ago. Now he’s a state representa­tive.

His colleagues in the House gave HB1947 a stunning, resounding victory in a 190-15 vote to extend the age when victims could sue their tormentors and those who employed them or enabled them from age 30 to age 50.

Gov. Tom Wolf indicated he supported the controvers­ial language in the bill, which would also lift the statute of limitation­s for criminal charges in such cases. Wolf said if it wound up on his desk, he would sign it.

The bill then went to the Senate. That’s when opponents of the measure, most notably the Catholic Church, in particular the Archdioces­e of Philadelph­ia, rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

Archbishop Charles Chaput sent a letter that was either read or mentioned at every Mass in every parish in the archdioces­e. Chaput did not mince words, characteri­zing the legislatio­n as no less than an attack on the church. He urged parishione­rs to contact their state senator and oppose the measure, in large part because of a belief that it would treat victims of public institutio­ns differentl­y unfairly than those of private institutio­ns, and questionin­g the constituti­onality of the retroactiv­e language that had been penned by Rozzi.

The church, clearly taken aback by the surprising approval in the House of an idea that had long been opposed in Harrisburg, was not taking any chances. It put on a full-court press, making a passionate argument against retroactiv­ity in a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Its prayers were answered. The bill passed the Senate, but only after the language that would allow past victims to file suit was modified. Victims would have until age 50 to file civil actions against their molesters, but only in cases that occurred after the bill becomes law. It’s not back in the House.

The latest battle over such legislatio­n was fueled by still another damning grand jury report, this time from the Johnstown-Altoona archdioces­e.

An outraged Rozzi led the charge to give past victims their day in court. And he has no intention of stopping now, despite the setback in the House.

The state rep stood onthe steps of the Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul, the downtown headquarte­rs of the archdioces­e, and tossed copies of grand jury reports of sexual abuse by priests. He vowed to rewrite the House bill and once again include a two-year window for past victims to file suit.

“One of my main messages today was it’s not over by any means,” Rozzi said. “For over 50 years, this institutio­n, the Archdioces­e of Philadelph­ia, and its leadership, the archbishop­s and in fact all Roman Catholic dioceses across the state of Pennsylvan­ia believed they were above the law, that they didn’t have to abide by our laws. And now they hide behind our laws.”

Of course, state representa­tives don’t have that luxury. They now are wearing a bull’s eye and no doubt will feel the heat once again generated by those who oppose Rozzi’s plan, most notably the archdioces­e, the National Catholic Conference and the insurance industry.

Rozzi, who said he was motivated to visit the basilica because of Chaput’s opposition to his bill, was joined by several activists as well as Marci Hamilton, a lawyer who has represente­d clergy abuse victims. She urged elected to “start representi­ng the common good,” while reminding those gathered — and those not in attendance — of the separation of church and state.

“They’re supposed to serve the people, and not just one set of wealthy religious lobbyists,” she said.

Rozzi said he would re-introduce his legislatio­n in the fall, including the push to once again allow those abused decades to seek their day in court today.

The sides in this epic battle have been clearly defined, with Rozzi, other victims and their advocates on one side, and the church on the other. In the middle will be state House members, wrestling with a most prickly legal and societal issue at the very time they are campaignin­g for re-election.

The fight over House Bill 1947 is not over, not by a long shot.

Mark Rozzi is not going away. If nothing else, he made that crystal clear this week.

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