This is how I think of the church. It is not an institution; it is the body of Christ. Christ is its head, and we are his body. Christ is the head of the body, and each of us plays a vital role in his body. And so, none of us should say, “I am not important.” None of us should say, “the body can exist without me.” When we function as we ought, the church is healthy. When we do not, the church is less than it should be.

The crisis we -- the church -- are facing as the body of Christ is a crisis that threatens to destroy our life in Christ.

Last month, Archbishop Blair gathered the priests of the Archdiocese at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield to give us advance notice of what has since been made public about what has happened in the past in the Archdiocese and what is presently happening. At that meeting we were given

1. A list of the clergy of the Archdiocese who have been credibly accused since 1953, none of whom served at Saint Mary’s
2. The monetary settlements that were made
3. Where this money came from
4. What the Archdiocese is doing and will do.

All of that information is now public, and you can access it by going to the website of the Archdiocese ( Promise.ArchdioceseofHartford.org). To the best of my knowledge nothing has been concealed, as painful as that may be. I applaud this transparency and now wish it had been done earlier because it is only the full disclosure of the truth that will begin the process of healing us. Only when we have brought everything into the light will we be able to walk in the light. I am aware of how painful this has been for us as Catholics. This crisis has betrayed our trust and undermined our credibility as a church.

The church has an institutional aspect but in reality it is the body of Christ. The church has a clergy but it's head is Jesus Christ. The church is the body of Christ and when some of its members sin and betray it, this affects the whole body of Christ. This is why this crisis affects us so personally. The sin and crimes of some members of the body harm all the members of the body. They affect the whole body of Christ. It affects us so deeply because we are the Body of Christ.

I encourage you to go to the Archdiocesan website  so that you will be fully informed about what has happened and how the Archdiocese has responded and is continuing to respond.

Moving forward will be difficult and painful; some may even find it impossible. It will take a long time to heal and many will never be fully healed. But if the church is truly the Body of the Risen Christ, we can and must rely on Christ to show us the way forward, as pain as that may be. For it is only when we utterly rely upon Christ and follow Christ in truth and integrity -- without reservation -- that we will begin the process of renewal and reform that we so desperately need.
 

Please see the below press release regarding clerical sexual abuse of minors. All information referenced is also available on Promise.ArchdioceseofHartford.org.
 
HARTFORD, Conn. (Jan. 22, 2019) – On Tuesday, January 22, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair together with the Office of Safe Environment of the Archdiocese of Hartford (AOH) published information regarding clerical sexual abuse of minors in the archdiocese.
This information, which can be found at Promise.ArchdioceseofHartford.org, includes:

•        A list of names of archdiocesan clergy who have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor from 1953 to the present, as well as the names of religious order priests and priests from other dioceses who have been credibly accused of an offense that took place in the Archdiocese.  Since 1953, 36 archdiocesan clergy have been credibly accused (of whom 23 are now deceased). In addition, there have been six religious order priests and six priests from other dioceses who offended within the Archdiocese.  There are currently no priests in ministry who have been credibly accused, in keeping with the Archdiocese of Hartford’s “zero-tolerance” policy.

 

•        An announcement that Judge Antonio Robaina has been retained by the Archdiocese to conduct an independent investigation. Judge Antonio Robaina is a retired Connecticut Superior Court judge, now with the law firm of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP.  Judge Robaina and his legal team will conduct an independent investigation to provide a comprehensive and transparent accounting of sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the Archdiocese of Hartford. The findings of this investigation will be reported to the Archbishop for the benefit of the faithful. The investigation will cover the years spanning 1953 (when the AOH as such was established to include Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties) to the present. Should any additional names of offenders arise as a result of the investigation, they will be added to: Promise.ArchdioceseofHartford.org.

 

•        The financial cost of sexual abuse settlements. As of this date, there have been 142 settled claims involving 29 archdiocesan clergy and three priests from other dioceses. These settlements total $50.6 million: of this amount, $26.1 million was paid from insurance recoveries and $24.5 million from the General Reserve Fund of the Archdiocese. It should be noted that 98% of settlements paid were for allegations of abuse of a minor that occurred before 1990.

 
A videotaped message from Archbishop Blair regarding these matters has been posted on Promise.ArchdioceseofHartford.org. In addition to the video, the Archbishop’s text is also posted on the same site in English, Spanish, and Polish.
 
The Archbishop has stated that one case of child abuse is one case too many:  “I ask—the Church must ask—for forgiveness from those who have been victims of child sexual abuse by clergy, and from their parents, siblings, and friends. Healing and reconciliation continue to be an essential but not easy goal, given the terrible effects that these sins and crimes can cause in the lives of victims, to whom the Church owes the deepest expression of sorrow and apology.”

The AOH has been in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People since it was adopted by the U.S. Bishops in 2002. All policies and codes pertaining to the protection of minors and vulnerable adults can be found in the Archdiocese’s Office of Safe Environment Handbook.

Any incidence of sexual abuse should be reported to Kathleen Nowosadko, Victim Assistance Coordinator, at: 860-541-6475, as well as to the local authorities. 
In an effort to apply spiritual remedies to the scandal and tragedy that has seriously wounded so many people in the church, Archbishop Blair will offer Masses of Reparation for the evil that has been done. The first one will take place in Manchester on Sunday, January 27, at 2:00 pm at the St. Bartholomew Church building of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish.

 

                                                                                     

                                                          
             

In 2018 one of the most important events that occurred in our parish was the mission we held during Lent.  That mission was something we prepared for throughout the year by focusing on the theme of Faith on Fire.  When our mission ended, many parishioners asked how we might follow up on our mission experience.  Is there a theme that can energize and continue to renew us, something that can guide our parish life in the year ahead?  

The theme I have decided on is "Witnessing To Our Faith". Witnesses testify to what they have seen, heard and experienced.  I am designating the third Sunday of every month as Witness Sunday, a day when parishioners from our faith community will give a brief testimoney of their faith. These testimonies allow us to hear what they belive and why they believe so that we can continue to grow in our faith.

In the weeks ahead I will return to the theme of Witnessing Our Faith, and we will hear many testimonies from our fellow parishioners.  All of this will culminate in a celebration of witness and song during Lent, similar to last year's celebration of song and praise at the opening of our parish mission. Listen to what your fellow parishioners testify about their faith, and ask yourself:  What do I believe? Why do I believe? And what is my witness to Christ?

Click HERE to read testimonies from our parishioners

                                                                                              Father Matera