Bishop David O’Connell, C.M. has requested that the following information be distributed in all parishes of the Diocese of Trenton:
New Jersey Independent Victims Compensation Program opens June 15
As had been announced in February of this year, the Diocese of Trenton – along with the other Roman Catholic dioceses in New Jersey – has established an Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP) to compensate those who, as minors, were sexually abused by a priest or deacon of the Diocese. The IVCP will be open to claims beginning June 15.
The IVCP is independently administered by experienced victim compensation experts Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros. Mr. Feinberg was the plan administrator for the federal 9/11 victim compensation program, as well as the Boston Marathon bombing compensation program.
The IVCP will handle the submission, evaluation and resolution of individual claims, and will operate independently of the Diocese or any Church-affiliated institution. The administrators of the IVCP will have complete autonomy to determine the eligibility of a claim with the guidelines of the established Protocol. The amount of compensation for those who make a claim will be determined by the IVCP administrators. All victims – no matter when the abuse occurred – are eligible to participate, and all matters will be handled confidentially.
Victims of clergy sexual abuse of a minor can begin the process of utilizing the program by going to www.njdiocesesivcp.com and reviewing the Protocol for submitting a claim. Anyone who was sexually victimized as a minor by a priest or deacon of the Diocese is strongly encouraged to participate in the IVCP. The Diocese also asks that anyone who knows of someone who was abused to pass along this information to the victim so that he or she is aware of the IVCP.
Please continue to pray and work for those in the Church who have been affected by this scourge. The victims: that they may receive God's healing. Also pray for the perpetrators: that God, who loves us and desires all of us to be with Him, may guide them to choose in turning their hearts back to Him in contrition and humility .Pray that the Holy Spirit will direct those in the Church who have fallen to the prince of this world back to the truth and continue the Church's mission to bring us to the Kingdom of God:Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Our FORMED Recommendation for the WeekAudio (40 minutes) -
Pure Fatherhoodhttps://formed.org/catholic-audio/590a4c7aceaa6fe00e80b3b4 Fathers are the link between heaven and earth and are intended to be an image of our Heavenly Father. Drawing on the examples of St. Joseph, Devin Schadt shows us how to become a father on earth like our Father in heaven. Devin is a husband, a father of five, and the co-founder of the Fathers of St. Joseph, an apostolate dedicated to the renewal of authentic fatherhood.
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