Dear Parishioners,

As you know, the Diocese of Trenton takes the protection of minors very seriously. Whenever the Diocese receives any accusation against clergy, we immediately report it to the District Attorney and law enforcement. It is very important that we do this because we need to be transparent and not hide anyone who has broken the law especially in such a grave way. For those who have been abused, they are owed just compensation for the crime against them. So, all the Catholic Dioceses in New Jersey have come together to form a new program to review all the claims made against the Church. The following is a statement that our Bishop has asked us to include in the bulletin about this program. So, if you or anyone you know have been abused and have not come forward yet, please follow the instructions given. It is very important that we deal with any abuse now and not wait any longer for the sake of the victims and the Church.

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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.

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Please pray for the victims and the Church.

God bless!

Father Carter