Bishop Tells Congregations to Report Sex Abuse to Catholic Hotline, With no Mention of Calling Police

I would not be the least bit surprised to learn that Zubik is QUEER! BUSTED! As a fellow queer, I delight when Catholic bishops are outed! It's time for the hens to come to roost! HOORAY!

If you have been abused by clergy or church employees, call the police. The diocesan "hotlines" are nothing more than victim containment programs. Report the crime(s) to the police, contact SNAP for healing, get a lawyer for justice.

On September 9, 2011, the tenth anniversary of 911, I launched my Last Call series of protests. I'm pleased to report the following: Vatican officials are plotting to secretly retire Washington DC Cardinal Donald Wuerl and St. Vincent College Archabbott Douglas Nowicki. My next protest will focus on the alleged homosexuality of Pittsburgh Diocese Bishop David Zubik. Merry Christmas Zubik. Don't you hate when we screw with your holidays. Mike Ference http://www.awuerlofhurt

On September 9, 2011, the tenth anniversary of 911, I launched my Last Call series of protests. I'm pleased to report the following: Vatican officials are plotting to secretly retire Washington DC Cardinal Donald Wuerl and St. Vincent College Archabbott Douglas Nowicki. My next protest will focus on the alleged homosexuality of Pittsburgh Diocese Bishop David Zubik. Merry Christmas Zubik. Don't you hate when we screw with your holidays. Mike Ference

'Whistle-blower' priests say policy thwarts them from aiding in prosecution By JEREMY ROEBUCK The Philadelphia Inquirer By JEREMY ROEBUCK Updated: 2011-12-22T02:56:00Z ""Prosecutor: Archdiocese lawyers could be stifling PHILADELPHIA At least four priests, described by lawyers as "whistle-blowers," have come forward hoping to aid in the prosecution of current and former clergy members accused in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sex-abuse scandal. However, an archdiocesan policy requiring them to notify church lawyers before talking to law enforcement could stifle the testimony they are willing to give, city prosecutors told a judge Wednesday. "They're muffling us," said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Blessington, paraphrasing the response he said he had heard from at least one priest. "Priests have told us that this is the same thing the (archdiocese) has done all along."" The above is simply more of the same, an attempt by the AD to have all such matters filtering by them be

Under no circumstances should Catholics be calling church hotlines to report any suspected sexual abuse. Absolutely not! People should be calling police hotlines whether they reside in the Diocese of Pittsburgh or the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Sister Maureen Paul Turlish Advocate for Victims & Legislative Reform maturlishmdsnd@yahoo.com

We anticipate your urgent response and taking action to help get child predators in jail so that no more kids are at risk of being sexually violated. Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, 17170 Deer Mountain Rd. Marthasville, Mo. 63357 636-433-2511 Kristine Ward Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) 438 Wonderly Drive Dayton,OH 45419 937-272-0308

We are getting calls from concerned Pittsburgh Catholics and parents who are worried about the safety of their children. They want, need and deserve to have more information about the illegal activities of Fr Sorenson, and the whereabouts of all predator priests proven, admitted and credibly accused. Finally, we urge you to explain why Fr Sorenson was absent on leave in 2003, the year following the widespread eruption of clergy sex crimes and cover ups on the national scene. Through experience, we have learned that often such vague phrases in a cleric’s work history are indications of other sexual misdeeds by him. You have promised your flock “openness and transparency” in child sex abuse cases. We call on you to be “open” about this alleged “leave.” We anticipate your urgent response and taking action to help get child predators in jail so that no more kids are at risk of being sexually violated. Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, 17170 Deer Mountain Rd. Marthasvi

You could make a difference here. But you must act differently. You can’t hide behind your desk, your defense lawyers, and your public relations staff. You must do everything in your power to bring forward those with information about Fr. Bart’s misdeeds and steer them toward law enforcement. Also, for the sake of public safety, we urge you to post on the Pittsburgh diocesan website the names, photos and whereabouts of all proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics. Roughly 30 US bishops have done this (even your widely discredited colleague in Philadelphia, Justin Rigali and your former Wisconsin colleague Timothy Dolan). It’s the least any bishop who wants to protect kids should do, None of them have been sued for doing this. None of them have expressed regrets about having done this. And there can be little doubt that such transparency has made kids safer. Why won’t you take this simple, inexpensive uncontroversial, common sense safety step?

contacted about possible child sex crimes. We’re troubled by your comments in an interview with KDKA TV. You mentioned that people should call some diocesan phone number. Bishop, you know that’s wrong. People should call the police. And you mentioned that computers in the places where he worked would be checked. It’s not clear, however, whether you plan to have your staff do this or let the police do it. Sadly, because of Pennsylvania’s archaic, arbitrary, predator-friendly statute of limitations, very few victims ever have the chance to pursue justice in court against predators. But in this case, there's an active police investigation and the liklihood that Fr. Sorenson will be criminally convicted. So in most clergy child sex cases, your efforts aren’t likely to have an impact on keeping dangerous clerics away from kids. This case, however, is somewhat different. If you act promptly and responsibly, you could be very helpful to police, prosecutor, and parents. You cou

in one announcement so that police and prosecutors can convict him and keep him away from kids. And in that outreach, we beg you to emphasize again and again that suspected child sex crimes are, in fact crimes and should be dealt with by criminal authorities. (Old habits die hard. For decades, bishops have urged parishioners and the public to report suspicions internally. That’s obviously not worked. Changing this long-standing practice will take concerted effort.) Since Fr. Sorenson has worked in several places, we urge you to personally visit each site where he spent time and strongly encourage anyone who may have knowledge, witnessed, or been harmed to contact police. (We understand you may be going to one parish this weekend. That’s a start. But you must go to every place where he was.) Your message, in any outreach effort, however, must be clear the independent professionals in law enforcement, not the biased amateurs in church offices must be contacted about possible ch

So, we ask again, "why not call the police instead of the diocese hot line?" Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, 636-433-2511 Letter to Bishop Zubik------------ Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:08:45 -0600 To: gensec@diopitt.org From: Judy Jones <SNAPjudy@gmail.com> Subject: letter intended for Bishop Zubik Cc: xy-Kristine Ward VOTF Dear Bishop Zubik, As you know, Fr. Bart Sorenson was arrested on Saturday for possession of child porn. Victims, parents, parishioners and the public need and deserve answers and action from you. Specifically, they need you to use your vast resources to --help find others who can help law enforcement get the full truth, and --clearly and strongly indicate that secular officials, not church officials, should investigate these alleged crimes. It's possible that Fr. Bart may have harmed other kids, along with those who are pictured in the child porn photos. We beg you to do real outreach not just one time, at one parish,

On the morning of Dec 14th, this letter (below) was sent to Bishop Zubik via email and fax. In the afternoon of Dec 14th, I received a phone call from Fr. Ronald P. Lengwin, VG Director and spokesperson for the Pittsburgh diocese. Lenguin wanted to talk with me to respond to the letter which we had just sent to Bishop Zubik. I told him that we would like for him to respond to that letter via email, because it was not just sent by me, but it was a "WE" that needed the bishop's response to our concerns about Fr Sorenson, yet Lenquin just kept wanting to talk to myself alone. I urged him to stop issuing statements that urge people to call the diocese hot line, but instead he should urge them to call the police, to which he replied, "but they choose to call our hot line".. I asked Lenguin to please respond to our letter to Zubik via email, and he assured me several times that he would do so. Today is Thursday, Dec. 22nd. We still have not received Lenguin's or Zubik's response to

Hi Jeff, I hope that you and your loved ones have a happy and safe holiday. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Sincerely, frank