Response to Clergy Abuse Crisis

Recent revelations about the abuse of minors by Catholic clergy in Pennsylvania have once again sickened and angered our community and the Church as a whole. Please see the following links for responses to this crisis from Pope Francis, Bishop Matano, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. We have also provided links to some of Fr. Joe's homilies that addressed this crisis directly. To see the Diocese of Rochester's Office of Safe Environment site, click here. To see St. Catherine's Creating a Safe Environment page, click  here. Victims of abuse should always report to the civil authorities. To report a case of possible sexual abuse and to receive help and guidance from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, victims are encouraged to contact the victims’ assistance coordinator, Deborah Housel, at (585) 328-3228, ext. 1555; toll-free at 1-800-388-7177, ext. 1555; or email at  [email protected]. 

• November, 2018: Message from Cardinal DiNardo
• Letter of his Holiness Pope Francis to the People of God 
• Letter to the Faithful from Bishop Matano 
• Statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, September 19
• Statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Bishop Robert Barron Q&A on the Abuse Crisis
• Podcast: Courageous Conversations About Sexual Abuse Scandal in the Catholic Church with Dr. Dobie Moser  
• Podcast: Talking To Young People About the Scandals in the Catholic Church
• Fr. Joe's Homily from the Feast of the Assumption (August 15) 
• Fr. Joe's Homily from the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 19) 
• Fr. Joe's Homily from the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 26) 
• Fr. Joe's Homily from the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 2)