The week before last, the Archdiocese filed its “answers” to the lawsuits that have been lodged. This is the next step in the legal process, which immediately precedes “discovery.” In its answers, the Archdiocese stipulates which facts it knows to be true and states which facts it denies, pending the collection of further information. This process is guided by the rules of law in which both plaintiffs and defendants have rights and responsibilities.
The lawsuits that have been filed provide very little information, and the defendant in these cases is not the accused priest, but the Archdiocese. Therefore, we have denied most of the accusations, especially the primary accusation that the Archdiocese “knew or should have known” in advance of the abuse occurring, because we cannot agree to this charge until we have more information about what actually happened. The process of civil litigation requires the collection of information in order to reach a just resolution.
By filing these answers, the Archdiocese is not denying that a particular victim may have been hurt. Rather, we are beginning the process of information-gathering. These answers have been accompanied by “interrogatories,” which request further information from each plaintiff. We were very careful to limit the questions in the interrogatories to information that is relevant to the damage being claimed and the compensation being sought.
It concerns me that there is an assumption among some that the Archdiocese does not have the right to due process. In fact, we are trying to be faithful to our desire to reach just resolution for victims and to our responsibility to be good stewards of the resources of our local Church. The resources of the Church are used to provide ministries and services to thousands of people.
We have and will continue to reach out to all victims. The partnership with the Kent School is designed to allow those people who cannot (because of lawsuits) or do not wish to talk with us directly to get the help they need. The Kent School partnership will be extended for another month through the end of August. Those who wish to receive counseling services through our resource and referral agreement with the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work should call 502/375-6807 and leave a message. A member of the Kent School faculty will be in touch to schedule an appointment on the next business day.
This is a very distressing time for victims, for priests and for all of us who love the Church. The Archdiocese will be holding a Service of Atonement on Monday, August 12, 5:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Assumption. I ask all Catholics to take some time that day to pray for victims and their families.
