The state of the clergy abuse crisis across the globe and the effectiveness of measures taken by the Catholic Church since it vowed to end the scourge of abuse nearly two decades ago will be examined at an Associated Press panel discussion on Tuesday, Dec. 3, in New York.
Powerful AP photographs of survivors of clergy abuse also will be on display at the event at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
David Gibson, director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, will lead a robust conversation among participants who range from a survivor of clergy abuse to a representative from the Archdiocese of New York.
Award-winning AP journalists who have contributed to the months-long investigative series titled “The Reckoning” will also join the discussion. The AP stories focus on top church officials and whether they have been accountable for the transgressions that happened under their watch.
Panelists include:
- Robert S. Bennett, former federal prosecutor and defense attorney in Washington and former member of the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Minors.
- Juan Carlos Cruz, Chilean survivor of clergy sex abuse and advocate for survivors.
- Edward T. Mechmann, director of the Archdiocese of New York’s Safe Environment Program.
- Michael Rezendes, AP investigative reporter and former member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe Spotlight team.
- Nicole Winfield, AP Vatican correspondent, whose reporting on the sex abuse scandal by Chilean clergy led to an unprecedented mass resignation of church officials.
AP images of survivors of clergy sex abuse from Guam to Mississippi by AP photojournalists David Goldman and Maye-E Wong will be on display at the event. Wong’s photography, titled “Sundays After,” was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation.
“Reckoning with clergy abuse: Is the Catholic Church falling short on its commitments?” is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by The Associated Press and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
The discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.
For tickets: http://apne.ws/QamZy94
About AP
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from AP. On the web: www.ap.org
About CUNY Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
The Newmark J-School is the only public graduate school of journalism in the northeastern U.S. Its mission is to serve the public interest – by training new journalists, by advancing the skills of mid-career journalists, by preparing newsroom leaders to adopt fresh approaches, and by partnering with media organizations to find new paths to excellence. The school is committed to producing the next generation of skilled, ethically minded and diverse journalists.
Contact
Lauren Easton
Global Director of Media Relations and Corporate Communications
The Associated Press
212-621-7005
leaston@ap.org
Patrick Maks
Senior Communications Associate
The Associated Press
212-621-7536
pmaks@ap.org
