"The Holy Father has been firm in his commitment to combat clergy sexual abuse, root it out of the church, reach out to those who have been harmed and hold perpetrators accountable," Listecki told the hundreds who gathered at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist for the annual Chrism Mass, a Holy Week service in which he blessed the oils the church will use for sacraments in the coming year.
Listecki drew applause for a wide-ranging statement in which he apologized for the sex abuse scandal, reached out to victims and spread the blame for the mishandling of the Murphy case, citing Milwaukee church officials, civil authorities and the journalists who first brought victims' stories to light.
He said the church is indebted to "those brave victims" who have come forward to tell their stories, often "after decades of feeling ignored."
"Because of their persistence and perseverance, we know the church has changed," Listecki said. "We owe these victims-survivors our deep gratitude, and we acknowledge our own actions have not always expressed that gratitude adequately."
Full article at JSOnline
Photo: JSOnline - Tom Lynn
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