Message from Archbishop Blair to Priests of the Archdiocese of Hartford

    ​As we move forward to fulfill the commitment I made to publicly release the names of archdiocesan, religious and extern clergy who have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor, which took place in the Archdiocese of Hartford from 1953 to the present, I would like to meet with the priests of the Archdiocese on Monday, January 21st, 2019 at 1:30PM at the Pastoral Center in Bloomfield.
     
    At this meeting you will be given the most recent information concerning the sexual abuse crisis as it relates to this Archdiocese, including the list of names, financial settlements, engagement of an outside law firm to conduct a review of our files and to make an assessment of how these claims were handled from 1953 to the present, and the Masses of Reparation that have already been scheduled. This meeting will also provide us with an opportunity to respond to any questions you may have, as the priests named on this list have served in parishes and ministries in which many of you now serve. Obviously this presentation and dialogue will take place in advance of the public distribution of this material, and I want you to be as well-informed as possible.
     
    Finally, I want to assure you of my prayers and of my sincere gratitude for your perseverance in faith, your diligence in caring for God’s people, and for your priestly service “on the front lines” during this extremely challenging time. I ask that you please continue to pray for me.