On Feb. 29 in Boston, there will be a solemn and important march to demand accountability from the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts for the sexual abuse of children by clergy. Will you participate? Will you please help us show the world that this crisis is NOT over? 100 marchers are needed to make this a powerful demonstration. Please read about the March below and let me know if you can join us! Purpose of March: To call on Governor Romney to convene an independent panel to assess the public safety crisis created by the Catholic bishops of the four dioceses of Massachusetts. Background: *When John Geoghan was murdered last summer, Romney was outraged. He acted quickly, convening a task force to study prisoner safety issues. *Now we need him to show the same leadership on behalf of the children of this Commonwealth. We need him: *To assess the bishops' responsibility for the untold thousands of acts of child sexual abuse by priests in this state since 1950; *To protect the children of today from the hundreds of unidentified priests living among us who are known only by bishops to be child molesters. Why the March is on Feb. 29: **By Feb. 27, the Catholic bishops in this state will have reported their own tallies of priests who've been accused of child sexual abuse since 1950. **But the bishops probably will not release the names of these priests -- and they certainly will not tell us where these priests are now! Why there is a public safety crisis: **In effect, these institutional leaders are sitting on the largest list of unregistered sex offenders in this state. Almost all of these priests have been suspended from parish work. No one is monitoring them. The police don't know about them. They have found jobs as substitute teachers and summer camp counselors. They live in neighborhoods. The mom and dad next door have no idea that the soft-spoken neighbor is a child molester. Solution: **Given the huge scope of this child safety crisis, elected officials must intervene. **The voters of Massachusetts must assure Gov. Romney that we not only approve of such intervention, we demand it. When and where: "Accountability March," Sunday, Feb 29. *10:30am Gather at Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1400 Washington Street, Boston. *11:00am Leave the cathedral and walk 1.3 miles to the State House. *11:20am Rally in front of State House. Program will include keynote speakers, the reading of a letter to Romney, and a spotlight on particular Massachusetts bishops who especially have brought harm to children. *Noon: Event ends. (Vans will take peop Event sponsor: le back to their cars at the Cathedral.) This event is sponsored by the Coalition of Catholics and Survivors. It will be a solemn and dignified event. All activist groups, including all SNAP and VOTF chapters throughout Massachusetts, are invited to co-sponsor and participate in this walk. Contact: Anne Doyle, (781)944-7010 and [email protected]