[NOTE: Archbishop Ryan Jimenez replied this past weekend to Kandit’s inquiry the weekend before about an incident on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at San Juan Bautista parish in Ordot. During that night’s announcements prior to the closing of the Holy Mass, a church official asked parishioners to donate to the parish’s collections so the parish could afford its bills and purchase an adjacent piece of property she said the church lost to the clergy sex abuse bankruptcy settlement. She repeatedly blamed the victims of the clergy sex abuse for the financial woes, and as the reason the parish was asking people to step up donations.]
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Hi Troy,
The Peace of God be with you. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner.
Regarding the communication to parishioners after a recent Mass at San Juan Bautista Catholic Church, as I understand it, the parish priest and his representative wanted to inform the parishioners of important matters, including some ways the archdiocese’s bankruptcy has affected their finances and assets and their plans moving forward.
I am certain there was no intention to cause division or ill will between they and victim survivors of clergy sexual abuse like yourself. Nonetheless, as you have expressed in your writing, sitting in the pews on that occasion, you took strong offense to the communication. For that, I am sincerely sorry. I apologize for any suffering you and many others endure and still endure from the severe harm caused by past members of the clergy and laity and past leaders of our Church. Healing the wounds caused to men and women who have been abused by our Church and bringing just compensation is of the utmost importance to all of us.
We continue to examine our many failings and areas we need to improve upon, including how we communicate. We will do our best, with the grace of God. Our Archdiocese is working on many things at this time even as collectively and individually our members contend with an array of personal, spiritual, pastoral and administrative challenges. We intend to update you, other media and the faithful about some of these issues very soon.
Thank you.
Archbishop Ryan
