MN passes first window since Hawaii and first of 2013!! Hello justice for MN survivors!
1.) ‘eliminated’ civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse of minors
2.) ‘established’ open courthouse doors for adults sexually exploited by clergy
3.) ‘eliminated’ institutional protections for enabling sexual abuse of minors
The Minnesota Child Victims Act is now law, the Governor signed the bill yesterday.
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On Wednesday May 22nd a national group that calls themselves the Catholic Whistleblowers announced its presence as a tool in the ongoing fight against the sexual abuse plaguing Catholicism.
The group of Catholic clergy and nuns spoke at a press conference at Cardozo School of Law, where they unabashedly expressed their concern with the way the religious institution has dealt with the child sexual scandal that has rightfully tarnished one of the world’s largest organizations.
The group’s aim is multifaceted. While most have blown the whistle on abusers, four of the group’s members are victims of sexual abuse themselves. They all, however, have one thing in common: distaste for the way the Catholic Church has handled its abuse scandal. Not only does the group hope to support victims and their families, and create a safety net for fellow whistleblowers, the group also hopes to change the institution’s policies relating to institutional abuse and cover-ups.
Noting that statutes of limitations are a roadblock preventing many victims of abuse from brining a claim, the Whistleblowers also hope to be a tool in efforts to reform current statutes of limitations. Professor Marci Hamilton noted that the church has hired the most powerful lobbyists in both New York and New Jersey in an effort to defeat statute of limitation reform efforts. In regards to the difficulty the group may face in such efforts, Hamilton continued, “If there is any question as to what this group is against- its that.”
Although myriad roadblocks will pose difficulty for the Whistleblowers, in the words of Sister Maureen Paul Turlish, they are “speaking from the depth of their conscience”; a force that seems almost unstoppable.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-05-24 21:37:102013-05-24 21:37:10Blogpost by Shane R. Martins
Enjoy watching these men and women Catholic clergy standing up to their own institution! Inspiring superheroes
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-05-24 17:35:572013-05-24 17:42:33Video from news conference for Catholic Whistleblowers (And SOL reform!)
Attorney Eric MacLeish represented many of the children abused by priests. He joins us to talk about the abuse he suffered as a child, and his work changing the statute of limitations on child sex abuse laws.
http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-05-24 16:48:552013-05-24 16:48:55Attorney in Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal Talks About Own Abuse
In its first public action Wednesday, a national network of Catholic clergy and nuns founded in part by a Milwaukee-area priest called on the church to take a stronger stand against child sexual abuse in its ranks.
Eight members of the Catholic Whistleblowers gathered for a news conference in New York, home to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who as head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is considered the most influential American prelate.
The group urged Dolan to use his influence to help oust Newark, N.J., Bishop John Myers, who has been in the news in recent weeks for allowing a pedophile priest continued access to minors, in violation of an agreement with prosecutors.
In addition, members called on Catholic bishops to:
Support proposed legislation in New York, Wisconsin and elsewhere, that would lift statutes of limitations on sex crimes against children. (A Wisconsin bill, known as the Child Victims Act, is expected to be re-introduced this legislative session.)
Adopt policies, similar to one in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, that protect priests, nuns and other church employees who report child sex abuse or cover-ups to civil authorities.
“The church has made strides; thousands of people have been trained in how to spot and report sex abuse. But all of that has to do with the future,” said the Rev. James Connell of Sheboygan, who has emerged in recent years as a vocal advocate for child sex abuse victims.
“But that doesn’t address the accountability, or the justice issues of the past,” he said. “Those issues are still at hand.”
A spokesman for Dolan said in an e-mail that the Archdiocese of New York has had a policy for years that encourages those with allegations of abuse to report them to civil authorities, and that here are no known abusers serving in the dioceses. He did not respond to questions about Myers or the statute-of-limitations legislation.
The group laid out its mission at a news conference at Cardozo Law School, which employs First Amendment scholar, Marci Hamilton, who has represented church victims in lawsuits across the country, including in Wisconsin.
Hamilton successfully argued the 2007 Wisconsin Supreme Court case that allows victims to sue religious entities under the state’s fraud statute — the basis of the 570-plus claims in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Bankruptcy. And she won a January ruling in the bankruptcy case that barred the archdiocese from using the First Amendment to keep up to $57 million in cemetery funds from being tapped for sex abuse settlements. That decision is on appeal to the U.S. District Court.
Connell is a founding member of the Whistleblowers, a group of like-minded mostly priests and nuns, brought together last year by the founders of BishopAccountability.org, a Boston-based non-profit that researches and posts information about the Catholic church’s response to sexual abuse.
Other members include well-known critics of the church’s handling of the sex abuse crisis, including Father Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer who alerted U.S. Catholic Bishops to the coming crisis in the 1980s; and Patrick Wall, a former Benedictine monk and “fixer,” who was sent by his order to clean up after abusive priests, and now consults for victims in lawsuits around the country.
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http://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpg00SOL Reformhttp://sol-reform.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Hamilton-Logo.jpgSOL Reform2013-05-23 02:43:092013-05-23 02:43:09God bless the Whistleblowers
MN passes first window since Hawaii and first of 2013!! Hello justice for MN survivors!
/in Minnesota /by SOL ReformMN passes first window since Hawaii and first of 2013!! Hello justice for MN survivors!
1.) ‘eliminated’ civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse of minors
2.) ‘established’ open courthouse doors for adults sexually exploited by clergy
3.) ‘eliminated’ institutional protections for enabling sexual abuse of minors
The Minnesota Child Victims Act is now law, the Governor signed the bill yesterday.
More info at: http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/
Blogpost by Shane R. Martins
/in Uncategorized /by SOL ReformOn Wednesday May 22nd a national group that calls themselves the Catholic Whistleblowers announced its presence as a tool in the ongoing fight against the sexual abuse plaguing Catholicism.
The group of Catholic clergy and nuns spoke at a press conference at Cardozo School of Law, where they unabashedly expressed their concern with the way the religious institution has dealt with the child sexual scandal that has rightfully tarnished one of the world’s largest organizations.
The group’s aim is multifaceted. While most have blown the whistle on abusers, four of the group’s members are victims of sexual abuse themselves. They all, however, have one thing in common: distaste for the way the Catholic Church has handled its abuse scandal. Not only does the group hope to support victims and their families, and create a safety net for fellow whistleblowers, the group also hopes to change the institution’s policies relating to institutional abuse and cover-ups.
Noting that statutes of limitations are a roadblock preventing many victims of abuse from brining a claim, the Whistleblowers also hope to be a tool in efforts to reform current statutes of limitations. Professor Marci Hamilton noted that the church has hired the most powerful lobbyists in both New York and New Jersey in an effort to defeat statute of limitation reform efforts. In regards to the difficulty the group may face in such efforts, Hamilton continued, “If there is any question as to what this group is against- its that.”
Although myriad roadblocks will pose difficulty for the Whistleblowers, in the words of Sister Maureen Paul Turlish, they are “speaking from the depth of their conscience”; a force that seems almost unstoppable.
Go CA!
/in California /by SOL ReformThe CA Senate Appropriations Committee passed SB 131, the Child Victims Act, on Wednesday. (5-1)
Video from news conference for Catholic Whistleblowers (And SOL reform!)
/in Uncategorized /by SOL ReformAttorney in Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal Talks About Own Abuse
/in Massachusetts /by SOL ReformAttorney Eric MacLeish represented many of the children abused by priests. He joins us to talk about the abuse he suffered as a child, and his work changing the statute of limitations on child sex abuse laws.
God bless the Whistleblowers
/in Wisconsin /by SOL ReformCatholic Whistleblowers urge greater accountability on sex abuse crisis
In its first public action Wednesday, a national network of Catholic clergy and nuns founded in part by a Milwaukee-area priest called on the church to take a stronger stand against child sexual abuse in its ranks.
Eight members of the Catholic Whistleblowers gathered for a news conference in New York, home to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who as head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is considered the most influential American prelate.
The group urged Dolan to use his influence to help oust Newark, N.J., Bishop John Myers, who has been in the news in recent weeks for allowing a pedophile priest continued access to minors, in violation of an agreement with prosecutors.
In addition, members called on Catholic bishops to:
Support proposed legislation in New York, Wisconsin and elsewhere, that would lift statutes of limitations on sex crimes against children. (A Wisconsin bill, known as the Child Victims Act, is expected to be re-introduced this legislative session.)
Adopt policies, similar to one in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, that protect priests, nuns and other church employees who report child sex abuse or cover-ups to civil authorities.
“The church has made strides; thousands of people have been trained in how to spot and report sex abuse. But all of that has to do with the future,” said the Rev. James Connell of Sheboygan, who has emerged in recent years as a vocal advocate for child sex abuse victims.
“But that doesn’t address the accountability, or the justice issues of the past,” he said. “Those issues are still at hand.”
A spokesman for Dolan said in an e-mail that the Archdiocese of New York has had a policy for years that encourages those with allegations of abuse to report them to civil authorities, and that here are no known abusers serving in the dioceses. He did not respond to questions about Myers or the statute-of-limitations legislation.
The group laid out its mission at a news conference at Cardozo Law School, which employs First Amendment scholar, Marci Hamilton, who has represented church victims in lawsuits across the country, including in Wisconsin.
Hamilton successfully argued the 2007 Wisconsin Supreme Court case that allows victims to sue religious entities under the state’s fraud statute — the basis of the 570-plus claims in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Bankruptcy. And she won a January ruling in the bankruptcy case that barred the archdiocese from using the First Amendment to keep up to $57 million in cemetery funds from being tapped for sex abuse settlements. That decision is on appeal to the U.S. District Court.
Connell is a founding member of the Whistleblowers, a group of like-minded mostly priests and nuns, brought together last year by the founders of BishopAccountability.org, a Boston-based non-profit that researches and posts information about the Catholic church’s response to sexual abuse.
Other members include well-known critics of the church’s handling of the sex abuse crisis, including Father Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer who alerted U.S. Catholic Bishops to the coming crisis in the 1980s; and Patrick Wall, a former Benedictine monk and “fixer,” who was sent by his order to clean up after abusive priests, and now consults for victims in lawsuits around the country.
View Source as PDF