As the Roman Catholic Diocese in Springfield, Massachusetts, continues to address the problem of sexual abuse in its churches, congregants and others are being asked to fill out an online survey by October 19.
Among the questions posed: Do you agree or disagree that the Diocese of Springfield "acknowledged the trauma of sexual abuse" of victims, and "ensured the allocation of resources needed to promote healing of survivors"?
Another question: Does the Diocese of Springfield have "an effective program for preventing sexual abuse"?
Daniel Ford, a retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge, is the head of an independent task force that will turn the survey responses into a report.
“The idea is we don’t want the church to be telling people what ‘we’ think ought to be done. We want them to tell us what they think ought to be done,” Ford said.
The survey feedback will be handed over to the bishop, Ford said, “and it's up to him to accept or reject it.”
Springfield is awaiting a permanent new bishop after Mitchell Rozanski this summer was appointed Archbishop of St. Louis.
