Source: (2002) VOMA Connections 12 (Autumn). Downloaded 22 June 2004.
Within the Roman Catholic Church, diocesan leaders have protected priests accused of sexual abuse and have even blamed the victims. Restorative justice measures should be taken to assist in the healing process, including church-led initiatives that promote confession, forgiveness, and repentance. Victim-Offender Reconciliation Programs (VORPs) should be available in each diocese so that priests have opportunities to confess, and the victims an opportunity to suggest penance. Christian educators are asked to incorporate restorative justice at “all levels of religious education” to ensure more opportunities for reconciliation overall. Catholic laypeople and clergy are all urged to participate in VORPs in order to heal a broken Church.
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