New Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez Apologizes To Those Affected By Catholic Church's Sex Abuse Scandal
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The new Archbishop of Philadelphia will take on plenty of responsibility next month when he's installed. However, Nelson Perez did not wait until his first day on the job to begin addressing issues that have long dogged the Catholic Church.
"My hope is to be among the people all over the place," Perez said during a press conference Thursday.
Perez hopes to reimmerse himself in the city that ordained him.
Now back in Philadelphia as archbishop, Perez wasted little time speaking directly to those affected by the sexual abuse scandal that continues to stain the Catholic Church.
"I, and we, continue to pray for your healing and support that you hold you deep within our hearts," Perez said. "It should have never happened and we are sorry."
According to an Associated Press review, Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses paid $84 million statewide to victims of sexual abuse -- a reported $32 million was paid out in Philadelphia alone.
SNAP, a support group for survivors of sexual abuse in institutional settings, released a statement Thursday, saying in part, "There are concerns that, as a product of St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia and as one who knows how the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has repeatedly failed victims, Perez may adopt a 'business as usual' approach. We hope for the complete opposite and that we see Archbishop Perez be true to his motto, 'trust and hope.'"
Perez was also asked about fixing the financial issues facing his tenure, after years of previous archdiocese leadership calls to shutter schools and parishes prior to his homecoming.
"You adapt for the good of the people, for the good the church. You have to make decisions. That's part of life. People do that in their lives all the time, right?" Perez said.
Perez takes over for Archbishop Charles Chaput, who leaves behind a complicated legacy. Chaput has served the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for more than eight years now, leading the diocese through the church's sexual assault and financial crisis.
