Press Releases
October, 2003

Nancy Matthews appointed the new Chancellor of the Diocese of Bridgeport

"Moving forward," Diocese of Bridgeport announces settlement with victims

Independent Audit Finds Diocese of Bridgeport in Total Compliance with Dallas "Charter"

Bishop Lori welcomes Archbishop-elect Henry J. Mansell of Hartford

Bishop Lori hails partial-birth abortion ban legislation as Catholics to celebrate defense of life on Sunday

Diocesan Jubilee Year outreach will aid poor families in Brazil

BRIDGEPORT, Thursday, October 2, 2003 – At a gathering of Diocesan employees at the Catholic Center this morning, the Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport, announced the appointment of Nancy Bundock Matthews of Fairfield as the new Chancellor of the Diocese of Bridgeport, effective Tuesday, October 14.

Mrs. Matthews, an attorney, succeeds Marylee A. MacDougall, who has decided to return to private life and focus on volunteer activities.

CAPTION: Bishop William E. Lori visits with the Chancellor-elect, Nancy Matthews (at right), and the retiring Chancellor, Marylee MacDougall. (Photo by John Glover)

“Nancy Matthews has a solid record of public service as an attorney and a government official,” Bishop Lori said. “She is a woman of great faith and a special friend of our Catholic schools. I am confident that she will continue to bring energy and commitment to the Diocese and the many good works of the Catholic Church in Fairfield County.”

“At the same time,” Bishop Lori continued, “the Diocese of Bridgeport is deeply indebted to Marylee MacDougall for her tireless efforts to promote issues and initiatives which have made a significant difference in the lives of the people of our Diocese. She is a sterling example of the key role that lay women and men play in applying their skills and expertise to help the Church fulfill its mission in the world. Marylee’s legacy is a solid record of achievements that will continue to grow under Nancy Matthews’ leadership.”

The Chancellor is a key administrator of a diocese, and often serves as the Bishop’s representative. The duties of a Chancellor cover a wide range of operational matters, including the oversight of diocesan corporations and boards.

Marylee MacDougall's Groundbreaking Initiatives

Appointed in July 2002, Mrs. MacDougall became the first layperson to hold the position of Chancellor in the Diocese of Bridgeport. Over the past year she oversaw many groundbreaking initiatives in the Diocese. These included the creation of a new Pastoral Council of clergy and laity to advise the Bishop; the reorganization of the Diocesan operating structure to promote efficiency; the introduction of a program for archives and records retention; and the opening of a new Office of Safe Environments, which oversees the Diocesan effort to comply with the mandates of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms, which are now Church law in the United States.

Mrs. MacDougall also directed the planning of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Diocese, including last Sunday’s historic Golden Jubilee Mass for 8,000 people in The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.

“My service as Chancellor has been an extraordinary experience,” Mrs. MacDougall said. “I have always believed that lay Catholics who love their faith and their Church can offer their unique talents to help the Church and its mission. It has been an honor to have played a role in launching initiatives which I am confident will continue to grow under Bishop Lori’s leadership and with the considerable skills of Nancy Matthews, whom I have worked with on several occasions.”

Mrs. MacDougall will be available to assist Bishop Lori, Mrs. Matthews, and the Diocese during the transition period.

Biography of Nancy Bundock Matthews

Born and raised in Bridgeport, Mrs. Matthews, 47, graduated from Saint Joseph High School in Trumbull and Smith College. She received a J.D. degree with honors from the University Of Connecticut School Of Law in 1986.

Mrs. Matthews has practiced law and served as Deputy Treasurer of the State of Connecticut. Long active in political and community affairs, she has also served on several local and state commissions, including the Bridgeport Financial Review Board, the Fairfield Charter Revision Commission, and the Sheff Panel.

As Chair of the Saint Joseph High School Advisory Board of Directors, Mrs. Matthews headed the first-ever Saint Joseph Capital Campaign to raise funds to renovate the school’s five science labs and to increase the Endowed Scholarship Fund. She is the recipient of the first Saint Joseph High School Alumni Council Sister Catherine Fanning Award in recognition of her commitment to community service.

Mrs. Matthews and her husband, Jeffrey, are members of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Fairfield, where she has taught fourth-grade religious education. They have two daughters: Sarah, a sophomore at Boston University, and Claire, a freshman at Saint Joseph High School.

“As a Catholic, I am honored to be asked to serve my Church and Bishop Lori, whose activism and compassion I truly admire,” Mrs. Matthews says. “I hope to build upon Marylee MacDougall’s outstanding record and, like her, encourage others to serve the Church and support its vital work in our families, parishes, schools, and communities.”

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Back to Breaking News

BRIDGEPORT, Wednesday, October 22, 2003 – Yesterday's passage by the U.S. Senate of legislation to ban partial birth abortion was hailed by Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori as "an answer to the prayers of Catholics and all who stand up in defense of the unborn."

The news arrives as the Diocese of Bridgeport prepares for its annual public demonstration of support for the dignity of all human life. On Sunday, October 26, at 3 p.m. at Saint Mary Parish, 669 West Avenue, Norwalk, Bishop Lori will celebrate a "Mass in Honor of Life."

Accredited members of the media are invited to attend, along with the general public

Responsibility of Everyone

"I applaud our lawmakers in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives for passage of legislation to ban partial birth abortion," says Bishop Lori. "This news is an answer to the prayers of Catholics and all who stand up in defense of the unborn. All life is precious, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Every one of us, young and old, has a responsibility to campaign for the dignity of life and a conversion of mind, in order to transform our society from a culture of death to a true culture of life."

With today's news, Bishop Lori expects an even bigger turnout of Catholics at Sunday's Mass. Last year's gathering was a standing-room-only event with a large number of families. Young fathers held babies or rocked them in strollers, while mothers led their toddlers in following the Mass. Elderly couples joined their children and grandchildren in praying for a more just society, one which supports the weak and those who have no voice, especially the unborn.

CAPTION: Last year's Mass in Honor of Life, sponsored by the Diocese of Bridgeport, featured a standing-room-only crowd with many families in attendance. (Photo by John Glover)

During the Mass, the congregation will hear witness talks from Catholic high school students, and young people will take part in the readings and participate in the choir.

"Life is a Miracle"

Sunday's Mass in Honor of Life caps a month-long special observance of pro-life issues in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Traditionally in the Catholic Church in the United States, October is "Respect Life Month," the time when the Catholic Church highlights the human dignity of some of the most fragile members of the human family. The theme of this year’s national campaign is, simply, “Life is a Miracle.”

"Respect Life Month is a time to reflect on the trauma of women persuaded that they must abort their babies, and on the horrendous numbers of lives lost to abortion each year," says Father Ernest T. Esposito, director of the Respect Life Ministry of the Diocese of Bridgeport. "It offers an opportunity to recognize the fear of the elderly that their medical needs may not be met. It is also a time to take a hard look at human experimentation, and the atrocities performed in the name of science. These are issues of great concern to Catholics, not just during October, but all year long."

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BRIDGEPORT Monday, October 20, 2003 - Bishop William E. Lori has issued a statement on the announcement from the Vatican this morning on the appointment of Bishop Henry J. Mansell of Buffalo as the new Archbishop of Hartford.

"I am most grateful to our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, for appointing the Most Reverend Henry J. Mansell as the new Archbishop of Hartford. He is a priest and bishop of enormous talent, energy, and pastoral effectiveness.

"As a bishop serving in the Province of Hartford, I pledge him my wholehearted cooperation and support. I look forward to working with Archbishop-elect Mansell to strengthen the mission of the Church in this region. I pray that God will abundantly bless his service to the Archdiocese of Hartford and to his new Province. May God grant him continued health, wisdom, and love in the service of the Church.

"At the same time, I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the Most Reverend Daniel A. Cronin, who brings to a conclusion his extraordinary service as Metropolitan Archbishop of Hartford. I shall always be grateful to Archbishop Cronin for the warmth with which he welcomed me to this region and for the constant support, advice, and encouragement he has given me during these past two and a half years of my ongoing service as Bishop of Bridgeport. I pray that God will bless him with health and joy in the years that lie ahead."

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BRIDGEPORT, Thursday, October 16, 2003, 1:30 p.m. - At a press conference this afternoon, Bishop William E. Lori announced that the Diocese of Bridgeport has settled 42 claims of sexual abuse of a minor against 16 priests for $21 million. The announcement concludes one year of mediation by attorneys representing the Diocese and the 40 victims (one victim has three claims).

“We are addressing this forthrightly, and moving forward,” said Bishop Lori. “We have put in place policies and programs to ensure, to the best of our ability, that it never happens again."

Details of the settlement are listed below.

Apology and Healing

“This is a part of the healing process for persons whose lives have been devastated by the evil of sexual abuse,” Bishop Lori said. “As a Church we are deeply sorry for the destructive behavior that has been committed. Having personally met with many victims and hearing their harrowing stories, I know in my heart that we must reach out with compassion. This settlement is the right thing to do, a way to ease the hurting and allow the healing to begin. We hope that people will seek counseling, pick up the pieces of their lives, and, God willing, restore their faith and trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.”

Bishop Lori acknowledged the assistance of Diocesan General Counsel Michael T. Dolan; Attorney Stephen P. Fogerty of Halloran & Sage, L.L.P.; Attorneys Cindy L. Robinson, Jason E. Tremont, and Douglas P. Mahoney of Tremont & Sheldon, P.C.; and U.S. Magistrate William I. Garfinkel of the U.S. District Court in Bridgeport, in reaching a settlement.

“I am grateful to everyone involved in this year-long process for their professionalism and commitment to proceed in a fair and cooperative fashion,” Bishop Lori said. “I appreciate the patience of the victims throughout this mediation process. Tremont & Sheldon allowed us to interview the victims in order to understand more profoundly what had happened to them.

“Magistrate Garfinkel, moreover, willingly gave hours of his time, meeting with me, the attorneys, and the victims,” Bishop Lori continued. “His wisdom, experience, and skill allowed all involved to reach a resolution fair and acceptable to everyone. I truly believe that without Magistrate Garfinkel’s able assistance, the process would have been much more difficult for everyone involved.”

Funding Sources

Bishop Lori assured Catholics in the Diocese that no monies have been appropriated from contributions to the Diocese, nor from the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, Faith in the Future, or parish collections.

“This settlement will be funded through insurance and the sale of undeveloped surplus property,” Bishop Lori said.

“Fortunately, we have been able to fund this settlement without having to cut back on the many essential good works and ministries of the Church,” he said.

Bishop Lori also revealed that, prior to today's settlement, the Diocese has spent a total of $16.7 million to settle 47 claims of sexual abuse of a minor. This amount, covering the period back to the founding of the Diocese in 1953, includes the global settlement of March 8, 2001, involving 26 claims. A confidentiality agreement between the plaintiffs and the Diocese prevents the release of the precise amount of the 2001 settlement.

"Purification of Memory"

In releasing today’s news, Bishop Lori echoed the call of Pope John Paul II for a “purification of memory” through acknowledgement of past mistakes and a call for repentance and conversion.

“The only way we can truly move forward as a Church and put this terrible chapter behind us is by squarely facing our past,” Bishop Lori said.

“I firmly believe that we stand at the threshold of a new era for our Diocese and the Church in Fairfield County,” Bishop Lori concluded. “We have turned a corner. We must remember the painful events of the past, learn from them, and repent. But we can move forward confident in Christ’s love that we are doing the right thing.”

Priests in the 87 parishes of the Diocese of Bridgeport will speak about healing, reconciliation, and moving forward during Masses this weekend. A letter from Bishop Lori will be passed out to Catholics as they leave Mass this weekend.

Last week, the Diocese of Bridgeport announced that The Gavin Group, an independent auditing firm, has examined the efforts of the Diocese to protect children and create a safe environment. After an exhaustive review of policies and documents, and interviews with Diocesan officials, victims of sexual abuse, and civil officials, the firm found the Diocese of Bridgeport to be "in total compliance" with the requirements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which is now law for the Catholic Church in the United States.

For more information on the results of the independent audit of the Diocese of Bridgeport on its total compliance with the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," click here.

For more information on the Safe Environment Program of the Diocese of Bridgeport, click here.

Click here for the Bishop's Letter in English.

Click here for the Bishop's Letter in Spanish.

2003 Settlement: By the Numbers

In keeping with its policy to deal with all allegations of sexual abuse and facilitate the healing process for victims and their families, the Diocese of Bridgeport has worked since October 2002 with the law firm of Tremont & Sheldon, P.C., on a mediation process towards a fair, just, and reasonable resolution of claims of alleged sexual abuse of a minor by priests. All of the claims were brought to the attention of the Diocese beginning in May 2002, and involve allegations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1960s.

U.S. Magistrate William I. Garfinkel of the U.S. District Court in Bridgeport served as mediator of the process.

The details of the settlement were announced at a press conference on Thursday, October 16, 2003, by The Most Reverend William E. Lori, S.T.D., Bishop of Bridgeport.

Amount of settlement: $21 million
Number of claims: 42
Number of victims: 40 (one victim has 3 claims)

Of the 42 claims:

All of the claims were first presented to the Diocese of Bridgeport beginning in May 2002.

The allegations of sexual abuse with a minor are claimed to have occurred during the following time periods:

1960-1969: 7
1970-1979: 29
1980-1989: 5
1990-1999: 1
2000-present: 0

Number of priests involved in the settlement: 16
Number of Diocesan priests: 15
Number of religious order priests: 1

Of the 16 priests:

3 priests are deceased. Their names have already been made public.

12 priests are no longer in active ministry and have no authorization to function as a priest. Their names have already been made public.

1 priest remains in active ministry with the full support of the Diocese and Bishop Lori, as the claim of misconduct with a 17-year-old woman 25 years ago does not pose a threat to children, according to the Lay Review Board of the Diocese, which reviewed the case twice. The Diocese, moreover, has discussed this case publicly in the past.

Of the $21 million settlement:

• approximately 40 percent is being funded through insurance claims.
• approximately 60 percent is being funded through the sale of undeveloped surplus property.

No funds for the settlement have been obtained from the Annual Bishop's Appeal, Faith in the Future, individual or group contributions to the Diocese, or Parish Collections.

38 of the 42 claims in this settlement fall under the new statute of limitations passed by the Connecticut State Legislature in 2002, which extended the age to file a claim of sexual abuse from age 35 to age 48

Past Settlements

Prior to today, the Diocese of Bridgeport has also spent an additional $16.7 million to settle cases of sexual abuse with a minor.

This amount covered 47 claims. It includes the global settlement of March 8, 2001, involving 26 allegations. A confidentiality agreement between the plaintiffs and the Diocese prevents the release of the precise amount of that settlement.

All of the names of the priests involved in these settlements have been made public.

Of this $16.7 million:

• approximately 40 percent was funded through insurance claims.
• approximately 35 percent was funded through the sale of undeveloped surplus property.
• approximately 25 percent was funded through the use of returns on investments set aside specifically for this purpose.

No funds for these settlements were obtained from the Annual Bishop's Appeal, Faith in the Future, individual or group contributions to the Diocese, or Parish Collections.

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BRIDGEPORT, Saturday, October 11, 2003 - An independent auditing firm has examined the efforts of the Diocese of Bridgeport to protect children and create a safe environment.

After an exhaustive review of policies and documents, and interviews with Diocesan officials, victims of sexual abuse, and civil officials, the firm has found the Diocese of Bridgeport to be "in total compliance" with the requirements of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which is now law for the Catholic Church in the United States.

"We are gratified to see that our continuing efforts to protect children and promote a safe environment in our parishes, schools, and other ministries are on the right track," says Bishop William E. Lori. "The Diocese of Bridgeport is firm in its resolve to respond swiftly, decisively, and fairly to all allegations of sexual abuse, reach out with compassion to victims, and build greater awareness of the problem, which will encourage prevention. We're leading the way, and inviting everyone, inside and outside the Catholic Church, to join us."

Last June, officials from The Gavin Group, Inc., a Boston-based independent firm headed by William A. Gavin, a retired FBI official, visited the Diocese of Bridgeport for one week as part of a nationwide effort to audit all 195 Catholic dioceses and eparchies. The National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) chose The Gavin Group for its team of experienced and professional auditors with backgrounds in law enforcement and certified public accounting. Their work, in turn, is being monitored and validated by Wilfred Quigley of Philadelphia, retired partner of the auditing firm of Ernst & Young.

The goal of the audit is to determine whether adequate practices and procedures are in place to comply with the guarantees made by the U.S. bishops in passing the landmark Charter. The auditors are looking at the adequacy of such things as policies for responding to abuse complaints; outreach programs for victims of abuse; the independence and use of lay review boards; policies for removing priests who have abused the innocent; and safe environment programs.

CAPTION: An effort is under way to offer all 20,000 employees, volunteers, and contractors of the Catholic Church in Fairfield County extensive awareness training in the warning signs of sexual abuse and the correct response in accordance with the law. This session, called "Protecting God's Children," was held at Sacred Heart University for more than 500 priests, Diocesan employees, Catholic school principals, and parish Directors of Religious Education. (Photo by John Glover)

The audits began last June, and the Diocese of Bridgeport was one of the first dioceses to be audited. All documentation and policies were reviewed by the two-member audit team.

Interviews were conducted with Diocesan officials, including Bishop William E. Lori; Monsignor J. Peter Cullen, Moderator of the Curia; Marylee A. MacDougall, former Chancellor; Michael T. Dolan, Diocesan Legal Counsel; and Louise Stewart-Spagnuolo, Director of Human Resources. The audit team also spoke with the Victims Assistance Coordinator, Linda Michaud, L.C.S.W.; members of the Diocesan Sexual Misconduct Review Board, a group of lay professionals who advise Bishop Lori on the thorough response to allegations of sexual abuse; civil officials; a victim of sexual abuse; and an accused priest.

The Executive Summary of the audit report contains much praise for the Diocese of Bridgeport and its efforts to maintain a safe environment:

• "The Diocese possesses extensive media and website materials confirming their outreach and engagement, regarding the key issues of sexual abuse of minors."
  
  
• "The leadership of Bishop Lori, Marylee MacDougall, and Monsignor Cullen was productive and effective in protecting the interests of victims and offenders alike."
  
  
• "The Diocese has been aggressive and effective in making its efforts as transparent as possible to the public and parishioners, considering the restrictions of civil and criminal due process."

The report issued three commendations to the Diocese of Bridgeport:

• Commendation 1: "The creation of two new audit procedures to ensure appropriate personnel had signed the form acknowledging receipt of the Sexual Abuse Policy," which all employees and volunteers are required to read and sign their consent.
  
  
• Commendation 2: "The Diocese's Safe Environment Program, which exceeded Charter requirements. The Diocese has recently created the position of Safe Environment Director to oversee and be responsible for the program. They also recently implemented the use of a computer program ("VIRTUS") to train and track the education of personnel in sexual abuse prevention."
  
  
• Commendation 3: "Bishop Lori and Diocese personnel for their outreach and transparency initiatives. Bishop Lori had personally met with victims, accused priests, family members of accused priests, and parishioners, when allegations of sexual abuse occurred. Bishop Lori also personally participated in many conferences and media events pertaining to sexual abuse of minors and the Charter."

"Based on all of the responses furnished, the Bridgeport Diocese is now judged to be in total compliance with the Charter," wrote William A. Gavin of The Gavin Group, in a letter to Bishop Lori.

"The great result of this audit represents a huge amount of hard work by a dedicated team of Diocesan employees," says Stewart-Spagnuolo. "Catholics in the Diocese of Bridgeport should stand tall and proud in the knowledge that we have an excellent Safe Environment Program in place and that we are committed to seeing it implemented quickly and throughly."

This fall, Kathleen McChesney, Executive Director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection, will begin to compile the results of the audits and prepare a report. This report will then go to the National Review Board.

The finished work to be forwarded to Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, USCCB president, and made public. The goal is transparency, so that the Catholic faithful can gain a full measure of confidence from the results.

For more information on the Safe Environment Program of the Diocese of Bridgeport, click here.

For more information on the work of the National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, click here.

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BRIDGEPORT - On Friday, October 31, Bishop William E. Lori will bless the fruits of a Diocesan-wide outreach to donate goods for the poor and needy in Brazil.

At 1:30 p.m. at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish, 391 Ogden Street, Bridgeport, Bishop Lori will bless donations of goods which will be packed into a 40-foot shipping container and sent to Brazil, for distribution to needy families in three cities.

Over the past two months, Saint Charles Borromeo Parish and its pastor, Father Joseph J. Saba, issued a clarion call to Catholics throughout Fairfield County to make a gesture, during the Diocesan Jubilee Year, to help the poor overseas.

"We're trying to say thank you for the blessings we have received in fifty years as a Diocese by this outreach to another country," says Father Saba. "I was looking for a way to make a statement to my parishioners, who are people on a limited income, that there are always people who are worse off that they are. We as a parish are usually the recipients of kindnesses from others in the Diocese, but we need to do our own part and reach out to others, too."

CAPTION: MEMBERS OF THE BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Bridgeport begin preparing for the collection of appliances and clothing to aid the poor in Brazil. A Jubilee project, the shipping container will depart Saint Charles on November 4.

Overwhelming Response

The response, Father Saba reports, has been overwhelming. From every corner of Fairfield County, people have sent donations of goods, including furniture and small appliances, and clothing for adults and children. Cash donations are being used to purchase refrigerators. Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Greenwich is underwriting the entire cost of shipping the container.

Brazilian Catholics who worship at Saint Charles, on the East Side of Bridgeport, number around 300 in a multi-ethnic parish of 1,300 families, where seven languages are spoken. Some hail from Sao Paulo, one of the largest cities in Brazil, where the shipping container will be unloaded. There the goods will be received by a Catholic charitable organization, which will oversee distribution to needy families with the assistance of the local Catholic bishop, Bishop Fernando A. Figueiredo of the Diocese of Santo Amaro.

The shipment should arrive in time for Christmas.

"This outpouring of love from people from all walks of life across our Diocese brings to life the Gospel message of serving the poor," Father Saba concludes. "We are so very grateful."

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