Dolan says closure is needed in settlement between diocese and victims

"We need closure," says Cardinal Timothy Dolan. "We need some sense of resolution and peace, and it's going to be worth it. Is it? Is there going to be a penitential side of it? You bet there is. But we need some resolution for their sake, for the sake of the church and bring it on."

Dolan says a settlement won't means victims will be forgotten. "We want a sense of justice and resolution, but we know it's a wound that is long in healing, and the wound of the church is grave as well," says Dolan. "While we yearn for justice and resolution, we don't want to forget this, okay? Because the the church has learned its lesson, and we need to keep the suffering of the victim survivors in mind. And darn it, even though the the wound will heal over and scab over, it's always going to be there. And we need to be just like the wounds of Jesus on the cross; they're always there, and we need to see those because he reminds us of the gravity of sin and the beauty of salvation, we need that in this resolution too."

As for the diocese on the other side of the settlement, he sees a new beginning. "Easter begins, so the church is going through a Good Friday now. A lot of suffering on behalf of the victims, survivors, and the family. A lot of struggle and suffering with with the hard work of Bishop (Mike) Fisher and the priests and the wonderfully dedicated lay people, a lot of Good Friday, but they say then the resurrection happens, and very often they will see a sense of renewal and recommitment in in the diocese. They'll see a bit of an uptick in vocations. They'll see a stability in mass attendance. They'll see people saying, "Thanks be to God. We've it's like the like doing the Stations of the Cross, following Jesus on His way to Calvary. They'll say, "Thank God we walked with Him, and now we're at the empty tomb. Now we're at resurrection. Now we're at Easter." Hallelujah!" notes Dolan.

How does Dolan compare the situation in Buffalo to NYC, where he was archbishop for 17 years? "A good chunk of my time was spent in meeting with victim survivors, in trying to see that resolution and justice was done, and finally, in saying we need some type of group settlement. Thanks be to God, we were assisted by by the victim survivors that are as eager as we are. And is there a hit? Yes. Thank thank God we have insurance. Although surprise, surprise, some of the insurance people are fighting us, which is an injustice. But we got the insurance, and and there's some sting there, and that we have to we we do have to sell some unused church property to to get some just compensation to the victims. But in general, the people are hopeful, and the people are just saying, for the sake of the victims and their families, for our sake, for God's sake, let's get this behind us," says Dolan.