Letter
to Bishops re Legislation
June 28, 2005
New York State Bishops
New York State Catholic Conference
465 State Street
Albany, NY 12203
Dear Bishop,
The Assembly and Senate of New York State have before
their respective bodies significant bills regarding the issue of sexual
abuse of minors. We applaud the legislators for addressing these issues.
However, many of these bills are stalled.
As members of the Catholic Church, we ask the New
York State Catholic Conference to publicly support these measures,
particularly the bills that address making clergy mandatory reporters
of sexual abuse and that extend the statute of limitations for sexual
abuse of minors. We have reviewed the Catholic Conference's website
and find no information about your position on these issues.
We note that your Treasurer, Bishop William Murphy
of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, has publicly supported the extension
of the statute of limitations and mandatory reporting. In June 2003,
he wrote in The Long Island Catholic, "That is why I have supported
legislative initiatives that would extend the statute of limitations
in sexual abuse cases from five to fifteen years and to make all members
of the clergy, Catholic and non-Catholic, mandatory reporters of sexual
abuse of a minor, with exceptions for confidential relationships and
the Sacrament of Reconciliation."
It is important that the legislators hear the voice
of the Catholic Church on these issues. As the official public policy
voice of the Catholic Church in the Empire State, you can send a clear
message of support to victims and to all members of the Catholic Church
by endorsing specific legislation. So we ask you to join Bishop Murphy
in publicly supporting these measures. If you fail to do so, you will
send a different message to victims and all who care about protecting
children.
Sincerely,
Dan Bartley Patricia Zirkel
Co-Chairs, Board of Directors
Long Island Voice of the Faithful
Letters mailed separately to:
Edward Cardinal Egan
| Most Reverend |
Most Reverend |
| Robert A. Brucato |
Dominick J. Lagonegro |
| Ignatius Catanello |
Basil H. Losten |
| Matthew H. Clark |
Gregory J. Mansour |
| Robert J. Cunningham |
James M. Moynihan |
| Nicholas DiMarzio |
William F. Murphy |
| John C. Dunne |
Dennis J. Sullivan |
| Edward M. Grosz |
Rene A. Valero |
| Howard J. Hubbard |
Gerald T. Walsh |
| Josu Iriondo |
Paul H. Walsh |
| Edward U. Kmiec |
Emil A. Wcela |
