Dealing with Priest Abusers Who Aren't Charged Criminally
It can be very frustrating for survivors of sexual abuse to realize that they can't have their day in court to face their accuser because the statute of limitations has expired. This phenomenon occurs in both the civil and criminal realms. In these circumstances, the priest abuser often goes on with his life without facing the reality of what he has done. There is no priest abuser registry wherein people can find out if their retired priest has a history of abusing children.
However, the church can and should utilize some of the tools at its disposal. One such tool is a canonical trial whereby the accused has to face the consequences for his actions. I have been involved in these situations and my clients have often felt vindicated by the results. It is a way for the truth to come out and the survivor to tell his or her story. It's part of the official canon law of the church and should be put into practice in more instances in which sexual abuse with a minor has occurred.