Cranberry site of Catholic meeting on child abuse
The bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is meeting with Catholics to hear concerns about child sexual abuse and its handling in the church at four upcoming meetings, including one in Cranberry Township.
At 7 p.m. Dec. 6, Bishop David Zubik will be at St. Ferdinand Roman Catholic Church on Rochester Road, according to a news release.
Local church leaders are to facilitate whatever discussions occur, and Zubik will be holding a “pastoral response” to follow the event.
Survivors of sexual abuse, their family members and parishioners are invited.
In the news release, Zubik is quoted saying “survivors of abuse and their families need not be silent about what they suffer, and the faithful need an opportunity to express their feelings, concerns and questions.
The event is in reaction to August's Pennsylvania grand jury report on sexual abuse and rape within the Catholic church. The report listed 18 clergymen with a Butler County connection as having been accused of various sexual crimes at some point in their careers.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl stepped down in the wake of that report. Many reading the report saw a pattern of obfuscation in Wuerl's handling of accusations and punishments for clergy members. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School in Cranberry renamed itself to North Catholic High School in response to the backlash against Wuerl.
