Sep 21, 2005 7:04 pm US/Eastern
Philadelphia Archdiocese Responds To Abuse Report
Issues 70-Page Report
by Lesley Van Arsdall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
The Philadelphia Archdiocese reacted to the District Attorney's grand jury report on abuses in the church by releasing a 70-page report of their own.
Cardinal Justin Regali said in a press conference Wednesday that the Archdiocese cooperated with the District Attorney's office during their investigation into alleged abuses within the church.
"We continue to practice zero tolerance. No priest who has sexually abused a minor will serve in any ministry in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia," stated Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia.
The devastating grand jury report claimed that clergy members within the Archdiocese sexually abused hundreds of minors over the years that involved a cover up at the highest level.
Lawyers for the Archdiocese say the D.A.'s claims are biased and one-sided.
"As an individual that has seen similar type of reports, I found it to be incredibly biased and, in fact, anti-catholic," stated attorney for the Archdiocese, William Sasso.
Parishioners had mixed reactions to the report.
"I'm pretty frustrated right now with the Catholic Church and I know a lot of other Catholics that feel the same exact way," said John Skelly.
"I trust priests still because a majority of them are good," stated another parishioner, adding, "Now's not the time to back away and be anti-catholic, but if you know a good priest, love them all the more right now."
Cardinal Rigali added that all of the instances of abuse occurred in the past and this is not an ongoing problem within his administration. He said he has not read the report in its entirety, but after doing so he will offer another response at mass on Sunday.
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