Survivors First, Inc

Open Letter to Governor Romney, Speaker Finneran and Attorney General Reilly Regarding Needed Actions to Keep Kids Safe

Dear Governor Romney, Speaker of the House Finneran, and
Attorney General Reilly,

In 1992 the clergy abuse scandal broke in Boston with the Porter case and the U.S. Bishops endorsed their Five Principles to keep children safe. During the next 11 years, children were sexually abused in Massachusetts by Geoghan, Fredette, Paquin, Provost, Talbot, and Dempsey, all priests who were eventually convicted. During those years, law enforcement and legislative leaders failed to keep children safe in the Commonwealth. Additionally, over 100 other priests have been removed from active ministry for allegations but have not been investigated due to statute of limitations issues. Where will these priests go? Will they harm children in the future?

Today we again find ourselves faced with a sexual abuse scandal involving the non-profit institution of the Roman Catholic Church — an institution that receives millions in state subsidies because of its non-profit status.

Law enforcement professionals from Massachusetts and across the nation have complained about the intransigence of the U.S. bishops and their cover-up of alleged felonies. In Massachusetts, these champions of victims’ rights include DA Paul Walsh and DA Kevin Burke. Outside Massachusetts, they include ex‑FBI agent and former Governor Frank Keating (who compared the U.S. bishops to the mafia and refused to retract his remarks), Suffolk County DA Spota in New York, Westchester County DA Piro in New York, the AG of New Hampshire, and the DA of Los Angeles.

Governor Romney, Speaker Finneran, and Attorney General Reilly, we call on you to join this group of principled public servants. As elected leaders of our law enforcement and legislative bodies, you are responsible for bringing justice to all those who have been harmed and for keeping children safe from sexual predators and their enablers within the Catholic Church.

Your actions have not been impressive to date. Principle and care for children must win out over political expediency. The Roman Catholic Church must be seen for what it is: a non-profit organization run by human beings, which must be subject to the same secular laws that pertain to any other such entity.

Massachusetts voters believe that if a non-Catholic institution had tried to cover up child abuse felonies and had also seen seven of its leaders convicted of crimes in the last 11 years, you would have done everything in your power to bring that institution under control. Yet you have so far failed entirely to hold leaders of the non-profit institution called the Roman Catholic Church accountable for their crimes.

This is not a religious issue. We are talking about felonies committed against children. Plain and simple. This letter is about the accountability of our elected leaders. Plain and simple.

The following steps would begin to correct the problem and ensure that we are not again in this situation after another 11 years have passed.

1. AG Reilly, indict those responsible for the cover-up and harboring of sexually abusive priests. Controlling law exists that will also allow prosecution of the archdiocesan corporation sole for corporate criminal liability.

2. AG Reilly, investigate alleged destruction of documents and obstruction of justice by the Archdiocese of Boston and the Vatican, and assure that all relevant files are protected and made public.

3. Governor Romney, name a special prosecutor to conduct a statewide investigation with the cooperation of federal authorities, since the crimes transcend state and national boundaries.

4. Police, district attorneys, judges, and lawmakers, declare an end to deference toward a non-profit institution that is out of control. Law enforcement must take every police report of an allegation and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law every abuser, using every legal means available.

5. AG Reilly, if necessary, sue the Archdiocese of Boston to require it to fund an alternative “office of healing” for victims. Victims must have the option of going to a secular entity, such as Victims of Violence, for funded mental health and other assistance, instead of going to the church.

6. Lawmakers, eliminate the statute of limitations for criminal and civil sexual abuse. Let these cases be decided on the merits of the evidence and let modern science and DNA testing contribute to justice. Mandatory reporting is far from sufficient. A mandatory reporting law with small fines and a short statute of limitations for reporting did not work in Kentucky, and it won’t work here. According to experts, victims of early childhood clergy sexual abuse are often not able to deal with the trauma until their late 20s and 30s, well past the current statute of limitations. The only way to get this stodgy, medieval non-profit institution to keep children safe is via large monetary settlements and criminal convictions.

Your leadership is needed. Your leadership is expected. We know that you are extremely talented and committed to ensuring that children are safe in the Commonwealth.

We look forward to your actions. Please make us and future generations proud.

Sincerely,

Registered Voters in Massachusetts and Advocates for Victims

July 22, 2003