Hotline callers express feelings
ASSISTANT EDITOR
A hotline established by the Albany Diocese to handle calls form people with concerns about clergy sexual abuse has received about a dozen calls since its inception earlier this month.
Sister Gail Rieth, RSM, a hotline operator, said that most of the calls came during the hotline's first week, with the number dwindling since then.
The number was first announced in the July 4 issue of The Evangelist.
She noted that callers mainly want to talk about feeling angry or upset about the Diocese's removal of six priests from ministry in accordance with a policy passed by the U.S. bishops at their June meeting in Dallas.
The "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" states that any priest ever involved in the sexual abuse of a minor must be removed from all public ministry and possibly laicized, as well. Of the six priests removed from ministry in the Albany Diocese, three were current pastors of parishes. The others are retired or not on active duty.
"People are confused. They don't understand what happened to their priest," said Sister Gail. "They're upset with the way things were handled."
Some callers want to know the specifics of the allegations against their former pastors. The diocesan employees staffing the hotline do not have that information and advise callers to speak to Rev. Edward Deimeke, administrative advocate for priests, if they want to talk more about it. If callers allege abuse, they, too, are referred to him.
Sister Gail wasn't sure how long the hotline will remain up and running but expects it to be quite a while. The Diocese, she said, has "got to be there" for people who need to talk about abuse.
(The toll-free hotline number is 1-800-931-6058. It is available weekdays, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.)