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As faithful Catholics, we are troubled by the decision of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the Dominican Sisters of Peace to challenge the Look Back Window law. This law gives sex abuse survivors the ability to face their abusers in court outside of the Statute of Limitations. This legal challenge, funded by our tithes, contradicts core Church values, including justice, compassion, and peace.

The Catechism (CCC 1932) calls us to protect the disadvantaged: “The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged.”

It is important to note that the first rounds of opposition to the Look Back Window law came from the bishops united under the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, who were the most vocal public opposition to the bill. Their efforts laid the groundwork for the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the Dominican Sisters of Peace to challenge it once again. By opposing the Look Back Window, the Church is turning its back on survivors of abuse and hindering justice, violating core Catholic values.

• Children and Families: Protecting families means standing by survivors. Blocking their access to justice harms the very families the Church claims to defend.
• Human Life: Every person has dignity, and survivors of abuse deserve the right to pursue justice and healing.
• Restorative Justice: The Church calls for justice that heals, yet this legal challenge blocks the path to true restorative justice.

The Call for True Peace:

As Archbishop Óscar Romero said:

“Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.”

The legal challenge against the Look Back Window law is not peace; it is repression. True peace comes from seeking justice for the oppressed, not silencing them.

What You Can Do:

We urge all faithful Catholics to contact the bishops and express their concerns. Ask them to publicly denounce the actions of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the Dominican Sisters of Peace, and to stand by survivors. Below is the contact information for the bishops:

Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond
Archbishop of New Orleans
7887 Walmsley Ave., New Orleans, LA 70125
Phone: (504) 861-9521

Most Rev. Michael G. Duca
Bishop of Baton Rouge
1800 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225) 387-0561

Most Rev. Francis I. Malone
Bishop of Shreveport
3500 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport, LA 71104
Phone: (318) 868-4441

Most Rev. Douglas Deshotel
Bishop of Lafayette
1408 Carmel Dr., Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 261-5610

Most Rev. Mario E. Dorsonville
Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux
2779 Highway 311, Schriever, LA 70395
Phone: (985) 850-3116

Most Rev. Robert W. Marshall
Bishop of Alexandria
4400 Coliseum Blvd., Alexandria, LA 71303
Phone: (318) 445-2401

Is the best use of the faithful’s hard-earned money, which they tithe to the Church in the belief that it is supporting the Church’s mission, really to fund legal challenges against survivors of abuse?

Additionally, we encourage you to withhold your tithes at Mass and notify your bishop and pastor that you will not tithe while the bishops align themselves against survivors. Instead, ask your pastor for the individual needs of your parish that you can support directly, ensuring your contributions help your local community without supporting this opposition to justice.

Make your voice heard! Sign the Petition! Tell the bishops to uphold Catholic values of justice, compassion, and peace by publicly denouncing the actions of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

Sincerely,
The Faithful Catholics of Louisiana