Dear Friends in Christ,
On Tuesday, April 12, 2016, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 1947, a proposal to remove the criminal statute of limitations (SoL) for childhood sexual abuse and raise the civil SoL from age 30 to 50 moving forward. It also retroactively extends the civil SoL from survivor’s age 30 to age 50. This bill would prospectively, but not retroactively, lift sovereign immunity so someone who is abused in a public institution in the future could sue the school district or government agency, but not in the past.
To put it another way, civil claims that are currently time-barred would be revived until the victim reaches age 50 but only if that abuse occurred in a non-profit setting, as public schools and agencies would still be protected by sovereign immunity. Nonprofit and private organizations like Catholic parishes and schools could be sued for past cases, but not public schools. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Please read this important article concerning this bill to better understand the issues at stake:
Please join us in creating a solution this Friday evening.
Friday, May 27th, 6:30-8:30PM
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
100 E. Wynnewood Rd.
Wynnewood, PA
- Short presentation on House Bill 1947
- Audience participation in filming a short commercial on this issue
- Holy Hour of prayer with Bishop Timothy Senior
We will have a brief presentation on the bill and the potential risks associated. In partnership with Joyful Films we are working to produce a short commercial which will educate the public on the severity of this issue and the need to act. We need your help to film a short group scene representing the Catholic Church alive in the Archdioceses of Philadelphia. Following our filming we will have a Holy Hour with Bishop Senior, presiding, to pray for this matter and the strength of our Church.
Please invite everyone you know who will stand with us to defend the Church.
Thank you!
Meghan Cokeley
Office for the New Evangelization
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
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