Clergy abuse survivors on road to recovery

CHICAGO, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- An attorney for clergy sex abuse victims says revealing the failures of Chicago's Roman Catholic Archdiocese will go a long way to helping survivors recover.

Attorney Jeff Anderson says Cardinal Francis George's apology and wholesale disclosure of a flawed and secretive system signals a new era of cooperation, The Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

"They have begun the process of coming clean and transparent in a way they have never done before," Anderson said. "It's now no longer about secrets. It's about protection."

Historically, the Chicago archdiocese has insisted on keeping settlements of clergy sex abuse secret.

George Tuesday announced the settlement of a $12.7 million lawsuit involving 16 victims and 11 accused priests.

Standing before television cameras, the head of Chicago's Roman Catholics said he was sorry for not acting sooner and promised more transparency.

"This goes along way to help those survivors in their recovery," Anderson said.