Though the crimes were committed by members of clergy years ago, it is only now that the veil has been lifted so as to reveal a number of hideous sex abuse cover-ups through the findings of the recent Pennsylvania grand jury report. The Chancellor of The Catholic University of America and the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl was mentioned in this report roughly 200 times.

The Church is supposed to serve Her people, Her fold, not protect shepherds who prey on their flock. Following the results of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report recently, many of us Catholics feel betrayed by the way the abused have been treated. We, the students of The Catholic University of America, have been rocked by a deep pain inflicted by members of the clergy. Although we are not rattled in our faith or our belief in the Church, as students of the Pontifical university, we feel a duty to the abused to be active in the cleansing of the institution we love. For such reason, we, the students, are demanding that swift measures be taken towards Cardinal Donald Wuerl for his failure to protect the most innocent by enabling a culture of abuse while Bishop of Pittsburgh.

In the hope of bringing justice and continued closure to the victims of abuse, we, the students of The Catholic University of America, demand the following:

1. That President Garvey ensure that Cardinal Donald Wuerl will not be present at any upcoming campus events in which the Cardinal directly participates with the student body.

2. That President Garvey and other school leaders publicly advocate for the creation of an investigative body, directed by Church laity, for the sake of ensuring the Church is rid of enablers such as Cardinal Wuerl.

3. That President Garvey publish a letter lobbying the Vatican for the removal of Cardinal Wuerl from the College of Cardinals.

4. In the case that Cardinal Wuerl’s tenure as both Archbishop of Washington and Chancellor of our university are discontinued, that President Garvey and University Officials engage the Church laity, including current Catholic University students, in appointing a replacement.

5. In the case that Cardinal Wuerl is relocated to serve in Rome, effectually an upgrade because it places him closer of the decision makers of the Church, we urge that President Garvey publish a letter condemning to that sort of response to such a situation as this one.