Diocese of Rockville Centre

OFFICE  OF  THE BISHOP

August 11, 2019

Dear  Brothers and Sisters  in Christ:

Our Church continues to suffer as a result of past sins of sexual abuse of minors. Victim survivors of abuse and their families also continue to carry the terrible effects of that abuse. We pray that the fire of the Holy Spirit may descend upon the Church to purify and sanctify her. It is also important that we are all aware of recent developments that will cause uncertainty and present serious challenges for us in the months and perhaps years ahead.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act  (CVA)  into  law  last  February.  The CVA suspends for one year any statute of limitations associated with  alleged  sexual  abuse of a minor. This law  will allow currently time-barred lawsuits to be brought against individuals as well as public and private institutions, regardless of how many years or even decades ago the abuse may have taken place.

When the one-year window to file lawsuits opens on August 14, 2019, hundreds, if not thousands of  lawsuits are expected to be filed across New York State against dioceses, parishes, municipalities, public schools, hospitals and a broad range of not-for-profit charitable organizations, both religious and non­religious. The financial impact of this law may  be far reaching.

However, if we are people of the Paschal Mystery,  we enter the unknown with what we do know –  that  the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ will sustain and strengthen us in the days ahead. The power of the Resurrection overcomes despair.

No doubt, we will hear about many past failures. We will again hear the heart wrenching stories of victim survivors. I have personally met with survivors of abuse, their families, friends and loved ones.  I have listened at a deep level to their stories of tragedy, betrayal, trauma and their heroic efforts to engage in the process of healing. Their lifelong wounds of trauma run so deep, that only the warmth  of the Holy Spirit  can begin to touch, relieve and heal  them. Together, we pray that the fire of the Holy  Spirit brings the light of true repentance and reform, moving the Church to continue listening and  responding with the humility and compassion of Jesus Christ.

It is also important that we be aware of what is already happening and has been happening for many years in our Diocese as to the extraordinary work that goes into child protection. First, the Diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People was established in 2003. Many years of hard work have made this office one which puts the safety and well-being of children first, and seeks to reach out to and support victim survivors of abuse. It works to ensure the screening and training of every person who works in or volunteers for the Church. If you are an employee or a volunteer in your parish, you know about background checks, VIRTUS training and the call for every member of the Church to be vigilant in protecting children.

For years, we have worked closely with law enforcement whenever an allegation of abuse is made against a member of the clergy, an employee or volunteer in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Our confidential hotline (516-594-9063) is closely monitored, and calls made to it are returned within 24 hours by a licensed mental health professional. Allegations of abuse are promptly reported to the appropriate district attorney’s office and are thoroughly investigated. In addition, pastoral care and mental health support is offered to any abuse survivor who needs assistance.

These are just a few of the reforms, efforts and safeguards that have been in place since 2002 in our Diocese, and have made the Church on Long Island a truly safe environment. And we do not rest there. We continually work to discern the best ways to adjust and enhance our child protection practices, to raise consciousness in the Church and society about vigilance and to support survivors of abuse.

In 2017, we initiated our Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) to provide a confidential mechanism for survivors to receive compensation and some measure of healing and justice. We intend to continue this program for the foreseeable future, even after the CVA takes effect, so survivors can, if they wish, be heard in a fair, respectful, confidential and timely  way.  To date, 370 people have filed claims with our IRCP. The vast majority of claimants—277 to be exact – have accepted compensation totaling just over $50 million, with 75-80 claims still being processed.

We have worked diligently with our financial and legal advisors to assess our financial position and maximize the availability of insurance coverage to meet the demands that will likely be imposed by anticipated CVA litigation. Please also know that parish collections and financial donations made through the Catholic Ministries Appeal will continue to be used, consistent with our commitment to our parishioners, to support the Diocese, and its ministries and pursue the goals of the Catholic Ministry Appeal. The parish offertory and Catholic Ministry Appeal funds have not and will not be used to resolve claims for clergy sexual abuse.

The work of the Church – of administering the Sacraments, of teaching, healing, advocating, serving, and ministering to the poor and vulnerable – can and must continue, despite the sins of the past. I speak in greater detail about all of this, and about the Diocese’s robust safe environment practices and commitment to them, in a Catholic Faith Network (CFN) special video which you can view on CFN television, the Diocesan website (www.drvc.org) and on Diocese of Rockville Centre social media platforms.

The coming months will require perseverance and prayer if we are to  emerge  even  more  dedicated  to Christ’s saving mission. As the opening of the CVA window takes place near the Solemnity of  the  Assumption of the Blessed Virgin,  we are reminded  to tum  to Mary  our  Mother  and  draw  courage  from the one who did not look away from her suffering  Son.  She  waited  patiently,  suffered  with  Him,  and shared  in His victory over sin and  death.

This is the same Mary who, as Mother of the Church, gathered with the Apostles in the locked room, waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit to descend at Pentecost. As we enter a time of Paschal Mystery suffering, may Mary guide us, so that together we may continue to carry out the mission of her Son: the building up of the Kingdom of God throughout Long Island and the world.

Sincerely in Christ,

John O. Barres

Most Reverend John O. Barres

Bishop of Rockville Centre

PO Box 9023, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-0023

Bishopsoffice@drvc.org; 516-678-5800

April 19: Good Friday

9 am Morning Prayer
3 pm Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion
4:30 – 6:00 pm Confessions
7:30 pm Stations of the Cross

April 20: Holy Saturday

9 am Morning Prayer
11 am-12 pm Confessions
12 pm Blessing of the Food
8 pm The Easter Vigil (no 5 pm Mass)

April 21: Easter Sunday. Masses at 9 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm

April 13 – 14: Passion (Palm) Sunday.

Masses: Saturday 5 pm; Sunday: 9 am 10:30 am, 12 pm
Sunday:  7:30 pm Youth Stations of the Cross

April 15: Penance Day,
(Diocesan Day of Reconciliation)
3 pm-9 pm (Individual Confessions)

April 18: Holy Thursday

9 am Morning Prayer
7:30 pm Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Adoration at Repository until 10:30 pm
Concludes with 10:30 pm Night Prayer

April 19: Good Friday

9 am Morning Prayer
3 pm Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion
4:30 – 6:00 pm Confessions
7:30 pm Stations of the Cross

April 20: Holy Saturday

9 am Morning Prayer
11 am-12 pm Confessions
12 pm Blessing of the Food
8 pm The Easter Vigil (no 5 pm Mass)

April 21: Easter Sunday. Masses at 9 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm

A Parish Lenten Journey with Jesus and Mary

Presented by Tony Belizzi
7:30 pm in the Church
April 8th, 9th and 10th, 2019

Tony Bellizzi is a retreat director, inspirational speaker, professional educator, performance artist, youth minister and prison minister. The Founder and Director of The Hope for the Children Foundation, Tony is also a published author of several books and CDs. Tony is “home grown” having received his M.A. from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington.

An evangelist for forty three years, Tony offers a wide variety of presentations in a simple down to earth style for every age group anywhere in the world and has lead several retreats for St. Ignatius Retreat House and St. Boniface Martyr Parish.

Tony conducts over 500 Spiritual Retreats annually, providing powerful experiences of God’s abundant love and mercy for Catholic Parishes and Schools. Tony’s inspirational retreats open hearts, energizes souls and changes lives by bringing people the Good News of the saving power of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and participation in the Life of His church.

Enhance your Lenten experience this year by joining us for our Parish Mission, A Parish Lenten Journey with Jesus and Mary at 7:30 pm at St. Boniface Martyr Church. You’ll be glad you did!

• April 8: Opening up Your Heart to Jesus, Journeying with Our Lord Closer and Deeper than Ever Before.
• April 9: Journey with Jesus, focusing on the topics and themes surfaced by the parish, plus the Journey with Jesus Guided Meditation Experience
• April 10: Full of Grace – Mary as model of faith and her apparitions. To learn more about Tony Bellizzi and his many ministry projects, books and CDs, please visit TonyBellizzi.com and HopefortheChildren.org.

Come one, come all to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our Lord,
Jesus Christ at the St. Boniface Martyr Children’s Christmas Pageant on Saturday, December 22 at 6:30pm in the church.

Come sing with us and join us for refreshments after the performance.

The sexual abuse of any human being—and particularly the sexual abuse of children—is a terrible sin and a crime.  It should not happen anywhere, and it most particularly should not happen in the Catholic Church.  The fact that it did—and on such a significant scale—is disgraceful and the Bishop is committed to removing any remaining abusers and keeping out future ones.

Although it does not excuse the crimes, sins and failures of the past, since 2002, the dioceses of Pennsylvania and elsewhere have put into place programs to prevent the abuse of children and make sure that cases of abuse are properly reported.  Bishop Barres became bishop of Allentown in July 2009. 

In 2002, years before Bishop Barres became bishop, Allentown opened up its files on abusers to the local district attorneys and subsequently all reports of abuse were forwarded to law enforcement. The documents given to the Pennsylvania attorney general in 2016 thus had largely been reviewed by local prosecutors over a decade previously.  During Bishop Barres time in Allentown, abusers were removed from office and all reports of abuse were sent on to the appropriate prosecutors.

The 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report contains certain statements concerning how Bishop Barres and the Diocese handled the case of a priest removed from ministry named Michael Lawrence.  The Report is materially incorrect on these points, and a summary discussing the errors follows at the end of this statement.

          Bishop Barres has spent many years talking to and counselling the survivors of abuse (including the survivors of abuse elsewhere in society who should not be forgotten) and is aware of how devastating it can be to survivors and their families.  The independent reconciliation and compensation program of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (modelled after Cardinal Dolan’s example in the Archdiocese of New York) is designed to help survivors of abuse in their recovery processes.

Errors in the Report Regarding Michael Lawrence.

          At pages 60-61 of the Report certain statements are made concerning how Bishop Barres handled the case of Michael Lawrence.  Unfortunately there are errors in that recitation—which can be seen when the attached letter from Bishop Barres to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (“CDF”) is read.

1.      Bishop Barres and the Diocese of Allentown informed the Holy See of all relevant facts about Lawrence. 

The Report says that it appears that Bishop Barres never told the CDF about Lawrence’s first accuser.   It misreads the very letter it cites.

Lawrence was removed from ministry long before Bishop Barres arrived in Allentown, and had been sent to live in a secure and carefully monitored rural facility for sex offenders.  The Diocese of Allentown sought to have Lawrence removed from the clerical state by the Holy See, and sent a report on his conduct to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the “CDF”), which is the appropriate congregation in Rome.  That report was supplemented by additional material when a second victim also reported abuse.

The letter cited in the Report is reproduced on pages 63-64 of the Report.  As can be seen can see, the very first paragraph of the letter makes clear that there had been prior allegations that had previously been discussed.  It refers to “the more recent allegations made against” Lawrence (hence necessarily implying that there were prior allegations).  The second paragraph then refers to the “additional accusations which were made against him and communicated to the [CDF] on 22 September 2011,” and then refers to a 2008 psychological report on Lawrence and explicitly notes that the psychological report was made “three years before the new allegation was reported.”

In other words, the letter is just one part of the of correspondence between the Diocese of Allentown and the CDF; the entire situation was set forth in the earlier correspondence, and this final letter both refers to the prior correspondence and shows that Rome had been told about both victims.

2.     Lawrence was removed from ministry.  He ultimately was not removed from the clerical state to ensure he would stay in a secured facility far from children.

Some have read the Report to suggest that Lawrence remained in ministry.  That is incorrect.  He had been removed from ministry long before Bishop Barres came to Allentown and was kept in a secure facility for sex abusers.  Initially Bishop Barres asked the Holy See to remove Lawrence from the “clerical state.” (What is sometimes called being “defrocked”).  However, as the letter itself notes, Bishop Barres and the Diocese decided to withdraw that application because they were concerned that if Lawrence was removed from the clerical state he would decide to leave the secure facility and rejoin society.  As the letter shows, Bishop Barres concluded that it was better for Lawrence to continue in this “supervised’ way of life” at the secure facility rather than to have him re-enter society. Lawrence died a few months later.

Bishop Barres stands by this decision.  Although he did not know Lawrence personally, his advisors who knew Lawrence unanimously thought Lawrence might present a danger to children if he was not kept at the secure facility and all therefore concluded that keeping him at the secure facility was the highest priority.

3.      Bishop Barres is in the process of requesting the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office correct its report on these subjects.

www.DRVC.org 

Please spread the word among your high-school aged students, their friends and your neighbors. Each “Chat” takes just one hour a week for three weeks. The program is specially designed to give young people a chance to discuss and explore our faith; please visit our webpage and consider trying it.

As part of our continuous faith journey we wish to make available to young people a new avenue of growth, called #FaithChat, designed specifically by St. Boniface parishioners for our high school-aged Catholics.

#FaithChat consists of a number of “Chats” on various topics which take place in sessions throughout the year.  Each chat meets one day a week for three consecutive weeks.

Participants may choose one chat or several among sessions in October, November, January, February and March on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Chats take place in welcoming and comfortable new meeting areas which have been created in the school building and the Parish Center.

This video will tell you more about #FaithChat.  Our #FaithChat booklet and registration form are below.

View our #FaithChat video to learn more:

#FAITHCHAT from MyStoryVideo on Vimeo.

Read our #FaithChat booklet (click to flip pages) to see #FaithChat listings:

To register, please complete and submit this form:

Please Note:   #FaithChat requires the use of gathering spaces conducive to discussion groups.  Any used sofas, armchairs, bean bag chairs or similar items are needed to create these spaces.  If you have such an item that you wish to donate to the program please contact Mrs. Croce at 516-671-0418 or stbonccd@gmail.com.  Thank you for your continued support and devotion to the faith formation of the young people in our parish community.