Diocese abuse settlement, social service, storm damaged homes, nuclear power plans, Nassau civil rights award

Abuse settlement bittersweet for me

A settlement was finally reached, and people have weighed in with their opinions, with the prevailing view that everyone is glad the long wait is over for the survivors of sexual abuse to receive some compensation “Prayers after clergy abuse settlement,” Opinion, Nov. 5]. Being one of those survivors, from Bay Shore, I’m glad, too, but it is a bittersweet victory.

Nowhere in the settlement is there a hint of accountability. None for the hundreds of priests, credibly accused with multiple counts of pedophilia who now reside comfortably, retired, living on generous pensions provided by . . . the diocese. None for those at the highest levels of diocesan authority who repeatedly signed off on these monsters being placed, over and over again, in communities where they continued abusing the innocents they were sent to serve — while many responsible still hold the highest positions of diocesan power.

Until there is some reckoning, some allocation of guilt, I don’t see how there can be any real closure for the survivors — or the Catholic Church.

We read in Matthew, “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” I wonder what he would say now.

— John Moore, Manhattan

Church needs to be transformational

Regarding cutbacks in social justice activism, a spokesman for the Diocese of Rockville Centre said that “each parish has its own profile of engagement with social outreach and social justice” [“Diocese’s role in social justice issues shrink,” News, Oct. 28]. True, but the larger Catholic Church — world, nation, diocese — needs to encourage and promote training in the complexities of such grassroots “engagement.” While Pope Francis is doing this, the diocese needs to improve.

The World Synod of Catholic Bishops wrote in 1971: “Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel.”

Thus, service to the “poor” should include both charity in filling urgent needs, where our diocese and parishes excel, but also discerning the causes of these needs, enabling effective advocacy for public policies thoroughly addressing them, “to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being,” Francis said.

Decades ago, Catholic Charities established a robust, parish-based “social ministry,” training parishioners in Catholic social teaching and helping them acquire true understanding of issues of injustice, beyond populist notions, enabling them to offer gospel perspectives in participation with others of goodwill in processes to transform our society for the “common good.”

Our service must be both charitable and transformational.

— William F. Brisotti, Ridge

The writer retired as a priest in the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

After coastal damage, time to exit homes

Thinking long term about coastal homes, it defies logic to keep rebuilding or do extensive repairs after these “guaranteed-to-happen-again storms” “Better storm recovery is needed: audit,” News, Nov. 3]. When a coastal home is severely damaged or destroyed, the owners should be paid whatever their insurance covers and whatever the government pays, and that ends it. Never again are the owners to build on that property.

Eventually, there would be no more coastal homes. No one is forced out of their homes. This never-ending cycle of storms and rebuilding must come to an end. Also, there should be no multimillion-dollar replenishment of sand that is washed away. Let nature give and let nature take. People simply cannot live in the teeth of the Atlantic Ocean.

— Peter Kelly, Medford

Nuclear-power plans: Remember disasters?

That was quite a long article about producing nuclear power [“State leaders eye new nuclear power to meet climate goals,” News, Nov. 3]. How is it possible that neither the Chernobyl nor Fukushima accidents were mentioned, or the possibility that a disaster could be caused by someone flying a plane into a nuclear plant? It could happen here.

— Lenny Glassmann, Syosset

Don’t hold taxpayers liable for cops’ acts

Why are Nassau County taxpayers responsible for paying Robert Besedin Sr. $2.3 million? We are not the ones who threw him down concrete stairs [“Vet awarded over $2.3M,” News, Oct. 31].

This Air Force veteran alleged his civil rights were violated by two Nassau County police officers. Shouldn’t they be responsible for paying?

When will the Nassau County powers-that-be protect their constituents and demand that police officers carry the same personal liability insurance as doctors, nurses and others?

— Carol Ludwig, Wantagh