Mar 20, 2006 5:21 pm US/Eastern
Some Catholics Critical Of Archbishop O'Malley
Unhappy With His Follow-Through On Sex Abuse Crisis
by Lisa Hughes
(CBS4)
Archbishop Sean O'Malley is in Rome getting ready to take on a bigger role within the Catholic Church. On Friday he will become a cardinal.
CBS4's Lisa Hughes is in Italy for the ceremony, and has reaction from local Catholics who are still struggling with their faith.
39 year-old David Carney says he was abused repeatedly by a priest as a child. He is one of 550 victims who took part in the $85 million settlement in 2003.
"I just think O'Malley with the sex abuse case, came out, settled it, then he moved on with whatever he has to do in the archdiocese," Carney said.
He believes Archbishop Sean O'Malley should have done more to discipline predator priests and heal their victims.
"I just hope he doesn't become the second Cardinal Law of Boston," Carney said.
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian represents dozens of victims who remain disappointed and disillusioned. "He's not holding healing masses; there are no workshops being conducted; there's been no apology. Why don't you tell them what's going on with the pedophile priests, if you're watching them, how you're watching them?"
According to our exclusive Fast Track poll, conducted by Survey USA, many Boston area Catholics feel the same way.
Check Full Poll Results From SurveyUSA.
62 percent rate the archbishop's handling of the church sexual abuse scandal as either fair or poor.
"None of his actions seem to have really reflected a feeling for the survivors, a feeling for what needs to change," says sex abuse survivor Ann Webb.
David Clohessy, the national director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), agrees that Archbishop O'Malley has disappointed. "The cardinal's lofty rhetoric and grandiose promises led people to expect that indeed counseling would be more available, that he would be more accessible and he's not lived up to those promises by and large."
Earlier this month, 88 people who say they were abused by priests, agreed to settle their cases against the Boston Archdiocese. There are still about 100 lawsuits pending.
CBS4's Lisa Hughes is reporting from Italy all week, leading up to Friday's consistory.
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