Together with the global community of the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Newark is studying the findings of this unprecedented and substantial report. We commend the leadership of Pope Francis and the Holy See in seeking to bring collective healing to victims of Theodore McCarrick and all those who have suffered because of clergy sexual abuse, while attempting to restore justice for the Catholic community that has been so grievously wounded by sexual abuse, abuse of power and the mishandling of allegations.
The Report represents a significant and powerful step forward in advancing accountability and transparency regarding sexual abuse. Beyond the victims themselves, failures by some leaders in the Catholic Church have wounded many including the families and loved ones of victims and the faithful. It is important to recognize that the Church has made progress in responding to clergy abuse by implementing and updating policies and programs to safeguard the faithful, especially the most vulnerable among us. The Archdiocese of Newark hopes that the Report will provide insights that will help us to strengthen further our well-established programs aimed at protecting the faithful. We remain united in our sympathy and support for all victims of sexual abuse and pray for healing and reconciliation within our Church.