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Hotline gives outlet for abuse concerns About 50 calls have been placed to a diocesan hotline from Catholics expressing their views on how the Albany Diocese has handled the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The hotline, 1-800-931-6058, is answered by Catholic Charities staff from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays. Calls are forwarded to voice mail during off-hours and weekends. The hotline was first announced in The Evangelist's April 10 issue. Topics of conversation According to Kenneth Goldfarb, director of the Communications Office of the Diocese, callers have primarily talked about being upset with the Diocese's handling of clergy abuse. Those feelings were expected, since the hotline was specifically created to allow people to vent their concerns. "Even before we had the hotline, people had the opportunity to call the Diocese and express how they were feeling, and I understand people have done that. [But] we felt we needed to provide people with another avenue," he added. The staffers answering the phone take down the caller's concerns, which are passed on to senior diocesan officials. Common questions Mr. Goldfarb said that many of the calls have been from Catholics who are misinformed about how the Diocese has dealt and continues to deal with sexual abuse by clergy. Some oft-repeated misconceptions include: * that money donated to the diocesan Bishop's Appeal may be used for financial settlements with abuse victims. Mr. Goldfarb stated that "no Bishop's Appeal money has gone or will ever go" to victims, and that "all [donors] are doing by holding back funds is doing damage to the great things the Church is known for." The Bishop's Appeal supports a wide range of services to the poor, persons with disabilities and others in need. * that all priest-abusers are not being prosecuted for their crimes. "I ended up calling back one gentleman who said, `If I did this, I'd be in jail,'" said Mr. Goldfarb. He explained to the caller that most abuse cases in the Albany Diocese occurred so long ago -- 30 to 40 years, in some instances -- that they are beyond the statute of limitations for prosecution by the time they are finally reported by victims. * that some statements by diocesan officials were not true. For example, said Mr. Goldfarb, the Diocese told media outlets some time ago that most (but not all) financial settlements with abuse victims fell within a certain range of amounts and also told the media the number of settlements that had been made. "Some reporters took the high end of that range, multiplied it by the number of settlements and came to the conclusion that we were saying that [amount of money] was given out," Mr. Goldfarb explained. "When we [later] said it was $2.3 million, they came to the conclusion that the Diocese had lied." In fact, the Diocese had not given a total before that. The reporters themselves were the ones who put out an incorrect figure. Clarifications The spokesperson said another example of incorrect assumptions by callers is that Catholic Charities funds were used to pay one abuse victim who was about to become homeless. Mr. Goldfarb said that the money was needed quickly, and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard tried to "accommodate this individual and meet the deadline." Since the person who had access to the diocesan insurance account was not available, the Diocese turned to Catholic Charities for help. The money borrowed from Catholic Charities was reimbursed within three days, said Mr. Goldfarb. "The news media keep repeating that the funds came from Catholic Charities, but do not repeat the fact that the money was reimbursed within three days." Bishop's vote Mr. Goldfarb's final example of callers' concerns that turned out to be based on misinformation involves Bishop Hubbard's attendance at a U.S. bishops' meeting about child abuse, held in Dallas last June. Media outlets often note that the Bishop expressed reservations about a zero-tolerance policy toward abusive priests, said Mr. Goldfarb, but those media outlets rarely add that the Bishop voted in favor of that policy and was one of the first bishops to implement it. The hotline, he said, is one tool through which diocesan officials learn how their handling of the abuse crisis is being perceived. Mr. Goldfarb expects that over time, the need for the hotline will dwindle, but he said Catholics will always be welcome to call the Diocese to express their views. (5/8/03) |