I have only one regret about the way we handled the horrific details laid out in the grand jury report on priest abuse in six Pennsylvania diocese.
Actually two.
One, I wish we could have run more. As the grand jury stated in the opening sentence of its report, people "need" to read this.
The second? That I did not use the headline I originally penned for our front page.
Let Us Prey.
I backed off that out of respect, since that phrase is an actual part of the Mass and much of the liturgy.
It's more than those 300 priests - and their superiors - offered any of the more than 1,000 young boys and girls they victimized.
On today's editorial page, we lay out the the sins of the fathers, both the actual actual abuse, and the abhorrent pattern of covering up that was the church's mantra over decades as they moved around predator priests, putting countless more kids at risk.
You can read the editorial here.
The question now becomes - once again - what can be done to keep this from happening again.
It's the same question that was raised after other grand jury reports found similar abuses in Philadelphia back in 20015, and then later in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese in 2006.
It is deja vu all over again for Pennsylvania Catholics.
We have now heard from the Vatican, which issues a statement Thursday condemning the abuses detailed by the grand jury as "criminally and morally reprehensible" and expressing "shame and sorrow."
The statement came from the Vatican press office. Pope Francis has not yet personally weighed in.
The statement did indicate the pontiff wants to eradicate "this tragic horror."
Unfortunately, as detailed by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the statute of limitations has expired on nearly all of these horrific offenses.
Several local bishops and church leaders offered statements expressing dismay at the charges, and offering to meet personally with victims and do what they can to make amends.
We have a suggestion.
Stop the church's opposition to a measure in Harrisburg that would give these victims their day in court, some measure of justice for the abuse heaped upon them.
Shapiro actually offered a challenge to Pennsylvania bishops in his damning report. He urged them to drop change their stance and support legislation in Harrisburg that would open a two-year window to allow victims of past abuse to bring civil actions against the church.
State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-126 of Berks County, himself a victim of priest abuse, has championed victims' causes in Harrisburg.
His bill, H.B. 612, would open a two-year window for victims of past abuse to file claims. Much like the various grand jury reports detailing the horrors of clergy abuse, it is not Rozzi's first effort at reform. Back in 2016 the House passed House Bill 1947, which would do much the same thing. Faced with a vigorous opposition from the church, Catholic groups and the insurance industry, it got bottled up in the Senate.
Now Rozzi is back. A similar bill, S.B. 261, has passed the Senate. It was supported by both Delaware County state Sens. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, and Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield. It now goes to the House. The bill would specifically allow a victim of abuse to file a claim up until the age of 50. Currently those claims expire at age 30, which critics say is long before some victims are able to come to grips with their abuse and come forward with claims.
Rep. James Santora, R-163 of Upper Darby, has indicated he will support the measure, as he did 1947.
"I will be supporting SB261," Santora said in a release. "I hope we can move this legislation in September. We should vote on it and get it on the governor's desk for his signature."
Also on board is state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, who said, "it's incomprehensible that a child should endure such abuse, and then have that abuse covered up by those more concerned with protecting their own interests than those of innocent victims."
DePasquale also specifically supported another aspect of the bill - eliminating any statute of limitations on bringing criminal charges in such cases, even if that would only apply to future cases. There is no retroactivity in the legislation.
If they're going to do, Pennsylvania legislators don't have a lot of time.
The Senate is in session for just 10 days in the next three months. In the House, they will convene for only a few more. And don't forget that every member of the state House and half of the Senate will be running for re-election on the November ballot.
The state's bishops have for the most part been silent on Shapiro's recommendation.
The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, while saying it was "devastated and outraged by the revelations of terrible sexual abuse crimes committed in the Catholic Church," added that "the time to discuss legislation will come later."
That's the problem.
It's always later.
Victims have waited long enough.
The silence that has tortured them for decades needs to be wiped away.
There is a concern - and a valid one - over the devastating economic impact such changes in the law could have on the church. In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, several corrective measures have been put in place to change the policies of the past the laid the foundation for the cover-up and simply moving problem priests from one parish to another.
Nearly the exact same thing was evidenced in both the Altoona-Johnstown and the latest grand jury report.
That has to end, once and for all.
This legislation is one way to be sure that church officials forever change the way they handle abuse and take real steps to protect children.
Republican House Majority Leader Dave Reed has seen and heard enough, and is vowing to make another push in September.
"If not now, then what would force people to deal with this issue head on," Reed said. "I dont' think there is one, if this is not it."
We will wait to see what happens in Harrisburg. And we urge them to do the right thing and give victims this opportunity.
And hope that the deja vu that Pennsylvania Catholics are recoiling from in the wake of one more damning grand jury report does not repeat itself in the state capital.
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