Call to Action
UPDATE ON THE CALL TO ACTION 3-10-2019
As of today there are 94 Green, 26 Amber, and 72 Red. If you live in or have a connection to a Diocese that is still Amber or Red please take the time to contact the Bishop / Archbishop and/or the Youth Protection Office and ask that they update the website. Please be positive and encourage change that will offer a path to protecting future generations.
If we can get 4 Diocese to change we will at least have a majority in the Green. If we can get 10 to update their website by the end of Lent .
Thank you for supporting this project.
ORIGINAL MESSAGE
Fellow Catholics, starting the first day of Advent, December 2, 2018 join Not 1 Dime and place 9 cents, (a nickel and 4 pennies) in the collection basket during Mass. As we start 2019 it is critical to continue the effort until every Diocese has in place policies that include a very clear statement that the first call is to Law Enforcement. We also encourage people to call, email, and send letters making the same request to every Bishop, Priest, Cardinal in the United States. It is also appropriate to send the same message to Pope Francis.
We recommend that anyone who participates in Not 1 Dime start their own personal Escrow Account with the money they would normally give to the Church. If appropriate actions are taken the money can be given at a later date. If the response is unsatisfactory the money could be donated to help victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking.
We know that many Diocese already have adequate policies in place to protect the innocent. If your diocese already recommends the contacting Law Enforcement First please give them positive feedback and encourage the leadership to promote that first step in all upcoming meetings.
We believe our request is reasonable and appropriate. Law Enforcement in every jurisdiction know how to deal with allegations of abuse. Trust them to do their job.
This project will end when every Diocese in the United States states clearly to contact Law Enforcement First when there is an allegation of abuse.
(We would like to see the Roman Catholic Church take the same action around the world. However, that is beyond the scope of this project.)
