Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Last week, I promised I would consult local Church officers to reexamine the current legal position of the Diocese of Camden in the case being argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court, in which we have been objecting to the empanelment of a grand jury for the purposes of a presentment on clergy sexual abuse in the State of New Jersey. Last Thursday, I convened our Diocese’s Board of Trustees, College of Consulters and Finance Council who, with unanimous consent, agreed to withdraw our objection to said empanelment before the Court.
The following day, I went with members of our legal counsel to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to inform them of our decision. We expressed our desire to be partners with them in this public service, even as we encouraged them to acknowledge the tremendous work being done for the last 23 years by the women and men of our Church – including survivors – to ensure that our parishes and schools provide the safest possible environment for our children. We also expressed our concern that the due process rights of any accused members of the clergy be protected.
As I shared in my interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week, the most important goal of this legal change of direction was to show our sensitivity to the survivors of abuse and to make concrete actions to “win their trust, restore their faith, and, God willing, someday find them back in the communion of friendship and worship within the Church.” I will remain committed to that goal in the months and years ahead. As I shared in my interview with Mr. Palmer, the survivors are Church. There is no “us” and “them” in this difficult reckoning of our recent history. Survivors are baptized – and hurting – members of Christ’s body who need a Good Samaritan Church at their side.
I would like to remark on one element from my interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer that was not included in the final article, despite having had made mention of it several times in our conversation – my appreciation for the work done by Bishop Dennis Sullivan and Father Robert Hughes as part of the Chapter 11 reorganization process – in lockstep with the Survivors’ Committee – to accept and implement the best nationally recognized safe environment recommendations here in the Diocese of Camden. I am disappointed that this was not included because I know how hard our priests, deacons, parish staff and volunteers work to implement these safe environment protocols in our parishes and schools.
I know this firsthand, since I was a parish priest for nearly 20 years. Implementing these protocols can be hard – sometimes exhausting – work, but our children are worth it, the pain the survivors have experienced demands it, and the credibility of the Church we love and Christ died for urges us on. Let us stay the course with the help of God.
Sincerely in Christ,
Bishop Joseph A. Williams
Diocese of Camden
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