Send an email to the US Bishops and the Holy See today!
The Call to Accountability Campaign asks you to call to accountability the
US bishops and the Holy See for all clergy sexual abuse.
As you may know, the US bishops will meet June 13-15,
2002, and they will discuss the current crisis of clergy sexual abuse
of minors.Call to Accountability will release the statement below during
the meeting of the US bishops and we ask that you support the Campaign
by taking a minute out of your busy schedule today to e-mail the president
of the US bishop’s conference, Rev. Wilton Gregory; Rev. Harry Flynn,
chairman of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse; and the
Vatican Secretary of State, Angelo Cardinal Sodano (emails below).
Tell them that people around the world condemn all
sexual crimes committed by priests, especially against women, children
and adolescents. Tell them we condemn the obstruction of justice by some
church officials who have covered-up such abuses.
Tell them they must call for the resignations of
bishops and cardinals who have obstructed justice for victims of clergy
abuse, namely Cardinals Law and Egan.
Tell them that the priesthood must be reserved for those
who have NEVER abused any minor or adult.
Tell them you support the Call to Accountability
Campaign!
Send emails to:
Rev. Wilton D. Gregory, president,
US Conference of Catholic Bishops: wgregory@diobelle.org
Rev. Harry Flynn, Archbishop
of St. Paul-Minneapolis and chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual
Abuse: archcom@archspm.org
His Eminence Angelo Cardinal Sodano, VaticanSecretary
of State : vatio26@relstat-segstat.va
We know you are very busy, but we would like to know if
you were able to send an email. Please let us know by sending us an email
or by copying (cc or bcc) us into the email at international@catholicsforchoice.org
In solidarity,
Serra Sippel
for the Call to Accountability Campaign
www.calltoaccountability.org
Call to Accountability is an ad hoc coalition of religious,
women’s rights, and human rights groups formed to
raise public awareness about sexual violence against women in the Roman
Catholic church and to hold
accountable the individual and institutional leaders involved or complicit
in the problem.
*******************************************************
A CALL TO ACCOUNTABILITY
An Abusive Church Abuses All:End All Clergy
Sexual Abuse
Call to Accountability—an ad hoc coalition
of religious, women’s rights, and human rights groups formed to
hold the Vatican accountable for sexual violence against women in the
Roman Catholic church—is repulsed by the recent revelations of sexual
crimes committed by Catholic clergy against children and adolescents.As
we grieve and extend prayers of healing to survivors of clergy sexual
abuse, we condemn this criminal behavior and any abuse of power by Catholic
clergy. Furthermore, we condemn the scandalous cover-ups and obstruction
of justice perpetrated by some officials in the hierarchy.
The Catholic church is suffering from two sexual abuse
scandals in less than a years time: First, in March 2001 we learned about
the sexual abuse of nuns and other women by priests; and since January
2002, cases of sexual abuse of children and adolescents have been reported
widely. The hierarchy has lost its moral authority. Bishops no longer
hold the sacred trust of the faithful. Individuals, organizations, governments
and concerned church leaders must hold the Catholic church accountable
for the criminal behavior of its abusers, and also for the dangerous culture
of immature sexuality that permeates the clergy.
•WE CALL on
bishops to honestly examine their consciences on the issue of clergy sexual
abuse. Accordingly, and when appropriate we call on them to admit their
culpability in covering up crimes and resign.
•WE CALL on
bishops to establish mandatory reporting standards for all cases of sexual
abuse.
•WE CALL on
bishops to cooperate with civil authorities by providing evidence and
assistance with the prosecution of Catholic church officials guilty of
sexual abuse and obstruction of justice.
•WE CALL on
the Vatican to institute just church governance to include the sharing
of decision-making at all levels among all the people of God – men
and women, lay and ordained, clerics and religious, gay and straight,
married and celibate, recognizing that we all play a role in making the
Catholic church a safe place.
•WE CALL on
every world citizen to hold the Catholic church
accountable.We call on national governments and individuals to speak out
against clergy sexual abuse regardless of their faith tradition. Respect
for the autonomy of faith groups cannot serve to mute the voices of world
leaders and individuals on this grave sin against women and children.
•WE JOIN with
the voices of individuals and organizations around the world that are
crying, “Enough is Enough!”Call to Accountability demands
an end to all sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.
*** This ACTION ALERT E-MAIL is from the Women's Ordination
Conference. Send comments or information for future ACTION ALERTS to Joy Barnes,
WOC Program Director at grassroots@womensordination.org.
For more information about WOC and how to become a WOC member, visit www.womensordination.org.
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