The head of Springfield’s Roman Catholic Diocese is apologizing to victims of clerical sexual abuse and urging them to come back to worship.

The apology and plea for forgiveness is contained in a pastoral letter commemorating the start of the Lenten season. Bishop Mitchell Rozanski says a survey filled out by parishioners last Fall told him wounds caused by pedophile priests continue to deeply hurt. He says the diocese has undertaken steps to weed out predators, including a screening process for anybody entering the church ministry.

“The greatest tribute that I think we can give to those who experienced any type of sexual abuse is to be vigilant, to be aware, and to have out guard up always, so that that doesn’t happen again,” says Rozanski.

The bishop also asked forgiveness from those disturbed by the church’s consolidation program that has closed 43 local parishes and missions since 2005. However, a spokesman for the group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is criticizing the Bishop’s apology, calling it a public relations move. Executive director David Clohessy  says an apology should be backed by action. He says Rozanski has the resources and the bully pulpit to get victims, witnesses and whistle blowers to break their silence about predators who have not been held accountable.

“He’s also got access to literally thousands of pages of church records about pedophile priests that we think he should, first of all, turn over to law enforcement and , secondly, should make public,” says Clohessy.

The Springfield Diocese website does contain a list of local priests it says have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse.