“We owe it to the victim-survivors of abuse to be fully transparent in listing the names of those who perpetrate this abuse,” said the archbishop.
Furthermore, Gomez stated, “To every one of you who has suffered abuse at the hands of a priest, I am truly sorry. Nothing can undo the violence done to you or restore the innocence and trust that was taken from you. I am humbled by your courage and ashamed at how the Church has let you down. On behalf of the Church, I ask your forgiveness…”
“A positive step in the right direction”
Jeff Anderson & Associates, a law firm dedicated to representing victims of child sexual abuse, commented that the archdiocese’s action is a “positive step in the right direction.”
“However, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and its officials have repeatedly shown that they cannot be trusted to self-report without oversight. The next step is the public disclosure of documents regarding the histories of these offenders and the identities of Church officials who were complicit in the cover-up of these crimes… Until this information is released, the Archdiocese’s efforts remain a half-truth,” according to the law firm.
