Washington, DC – Judie Brown, president of American Life League issued the following statement regarding Commonwealth Catholic Charities and the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia:

“As information slowly disseminates from the diocese of Richmond in the wake of the abortion facilitated by Commonwealth Catholic Charities, we call on Bishop Francis DiLorenzo and the rest of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops to commit to accountability by answering the many questions left by this latest episode of apparent child abuse and subsequent deadly assault on a preborn child.

Article Seven of the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, signed in 2005 by the full body of the USCCB Bishops ensures this kind of accountability:

“Dioceses/eparchies are to be open and transparent in communicating with the public about sexual abuse of minors by clergy within the confines of respect for the privacy and the reputation of the individuals involved ...”

Even though this latest scandal is not related to clergy abuse per se, the disgraceful event in Richmond was anything but transparent – months went by before Bishop DiLorenzo acknowledged the child-killing he knew about in January and even then only to warn his brother bishops that a possible investigation loomed on the horizon. It was not until the Wanderer informed the faithful on June 19 that the bishop finally addressed this tragedy.

As the Diocese of Richmond scrambles for damage control, we must keep the focus on the two victims of this crime – the preborn child denied the chance to live and love, and the 16-year-old mother who was assisted in finding a quick fix that will lead to a life of pain. What she should have found within the Catholic Church was the Christ-centered support and guidance she needed rather than the recommendation her baby be killed."

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