Bishop Gerry writes to state’s Catholics Mass mailing marks year of scandal

PORTLAND – The head of Maine’s Roman Catholic diocese has written a letter to the state’s 240,000 church members explaining what steps the diocese has taken since the clergy sexual abuse scandal broke just over a year ago.

In the letter, Bishop Joseph Gerry describes the past year as “tumultuous and painful for all involved, especially the victims/survivors.” He said he remains “saddened and distressed” about the abuse.

The letter describes what steps the diocese has taken in response to the abuse and is accompanied by two brochures: one to explain available services to victims of abuse, the other to describe the training programs the church has adopted in an attempt to prevent future abuse.

“I believe these initiatives will not only help us to prevent abuse but also will begin to address the immeasurable pain endured by victims/survivors,” Gerry wrote.

Sue Bernard, spokeswoman for the diocese, said the letter was mailed last week to 83,000 households in Maine. It was the church’s first mass mailing since it announced in February 2001 that two active priests had each sexually abused a teenage boy.

Those priests, the Revs. Michael Doucette and John Audibert, were dismissed a year ago this week from their parishes in Madawaska and St. Agatha. A third priest, the Rev. Leo James Michaud, was dismissed from his Ellsworth parish the following month.

Gerry wrote that the church has helped abuse victims by hiring a support minister, establishing a toll-free phone number for victims and using newspaper ads and other means to urge victims to come forward.

The letter said the diocese has implemented a training program to educate clergy, diocesan employees and volunteers about child sexual abuse and how to prevent it. It also has established a policy that no diocese employee facing a credible allegation of child sexual abuse can work or minister in the diocese of Portland.

The letter also makes note of a 10-member review board appointed last week to advise Gerry regarding sexual abuse complaints.

Bernard said the letter was intended to give church members a clear accounting of what has happened within the diocese since the scandal broke. Information previously had been released in piecemeal fashion.

“This was a good opportunity to put it all together,” Bernard said.