Fairbanks Catholic Diocese seeks victims of clergy sex abuse
Published Sunday, June 22, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks is undertaking a massive advertising campaign looking for more potential sexual assault victims as it moves forward in settling abuse claims as part of its Chapter 11 reorganization case in the federal bankruptcy court.
Robert Hannon, special assistant to the Fairbanks bishop, said the diocese is putting notices in newspapers across the state and the Pacific Northwest, including USA Today, and is contracting with some in-state radio and TV stations to run ads.
“Beyond that, we are sending mailings out to all the Native corporations, regional and village, and AC stores and post offices in the diocese,” Hannon said. “We are trying to reach out to as many people as possible and working with the court to that end,” Hannon said.
The diocese is working with a credit committee that includes representatives of 150 people who have filed claims against the diocese seeking millions of dollars in compensation for alleged sexual abuse by clergy from the 1950s to the 1980s.
In a recently published letter, Bishop Donald Kettler wrote: “Anyone who feels the Church has harmed them in any way, possibly by a clergy member, religious brother or sister or by a volunteer, should read the notice and then fill out a claim form. Also, there are different claim forms for vendors or others who feel the Church may owe them money.”
The deadline for making claims, set by the bankruptcy court, is Dec. 2. Forms are available on the Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska Web site: www.cbna.org.
“We want to make sure that as many people who have been harmed, come forward now,” Hannon said. “When the financial aspects are settled, that is when the real work of healing begins.”
Community Discussion
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I'm kind of at a loss here. Mabe I've missed something in the past issues of NM. Have the clergy from this church been charged with anything? 150 people have filed for their part of the money. Someone please fill me in.
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I find it disturbing that after five years of painful litigation, it is only after seeking bankruptcy protection that the Diocese of Fairbanks finally attempts to find and make amends to the potentially thousands of children who were sexually abused at the hands of its priests, religious and volunteers.
Just like the other five U.S. dioceses that have sought bankruptcy protection, Bishop Kettler and diocese officials only "cried poor" on the eve of potentially embarrassing and expensive civil trials. Had brave Alaskans not come forward to report their abuse, diocese officials most likely would have continued to keep secret their explicit knowledge of the more than 60 years of horrific child rape in the Alaska villages.
We applaud the strength and perseverance of the more than 150 victims who have refused to buckle under pressure from the diocese to keep quiet. We also strongly urge anyone who was molested to come forward report their abuse. As we have learned, it is only through reporting to law enforcement and use of the legal system that children are kept safe from sexual abuse.
Finally, we strongly urge Diocese officials to stop hiding behind bankruptcy protection and publicly disclose the names of known and admitted perpetrators, publicly release documents that outline the scope and scale of abuse, and quit revictimizing brave Alaska Native survivors who continue to show profound strength in the face of continued hurtful and shameful legal tactics by the diocese.
Sincerely,
Joelle Casteix
Newport Beach, CA
Western Regional Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
Well, well...
You got your bible Baptists screaming that homosexuality is an abomination,
You got your Mormons keeping their droves of kids home until they are 18 to ensure the brainwashing is intact, and, of course,
You got your Catholic priests who can now best be described as "kiddie diddlers" [I got that saying from a Hell's Angel I recently met who stated in disgust "And they call the organization I belong to criminal!?"]
When will people wake up and realize how incredibly EVIL religion is?
When will society grow up and realize that blind faith leads to blind stupidity? Why can't Americans realize that many religions prey upon the weak, down trodden, and the helpless?
We need PSA's that extol the evils of religion far more than we need ones about pot - and that's for damn sure!
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