The prospect of Mr. McCarrick being forced to answer questions in a criminal trial “gave some hope to survivors that no matter who you are, no matter your power or station in life, you won’t be able to go into that good night without some kind of accountability,” said Peter Isely

Peter Isely, a member of Ending Clergy Abuse, said…"For a victim to see his offender before a judge – even if that appearance is by phone – it can be a day of emancipation and liberation from carrying the awful burden of shame and secrecy that are an inevitable consequence of these crimes…Inexplicably, Judge Reddy did not give the victim that day.”

Clergy sexual abuse survivors on Monday unveiled a proposed new church law calling for the permanent removal of abusive priests and superiors who covered for them, as they stepped up their outrage over Pope Francis’ choice to head the Vatican office that investigates sex crimes.

"I don't know how you can move into a future if you have not solved the criminal problem of (predator) priests and cover-up by the hierarchy in the Catholic Church," Peter Isely, another U.S.-based member of ECA, said about the synod.

Two years after opening an investigation into sexual abuse committed by faith leaders in Wisconsin, Attorney General Josh Kaul is seeking access to court documents sealed nearly a decade ago in a bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Retired Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Father James Connell filed the records request last week. Ending Clergy Abuse and the Freedom From Religion Foundation both backed it.

“Survivors have resorted to filing an open records request with the Wisconsin DOJ to try to learn more about the communication that’s taken place over the past two years now with the DOJ and Catholic Church leaders.”

Nate’s Mission program director Peter Isely and deputy director Sarah Pearson joined us for a discussion about the DOJ initiative. Has it been effective? Is there enough awareness? How does it compare to efforts elsewhere? And when the DOJ releases its final report on the initiative - what does Nate Mission believe that report needs to say?

“In Wisconsin, if you leave the state, your statute of limitations freezes,” said Peter Isely of Nate’s Mission. “Anytime an offender, anyone who hurts, harms. or assaults a child, should no that they’re not going to get away with it, no matter how old they get.”

"It's the system that McCarrick was part of and represented. That's what needs to be changed and reformed," said Peter Isely, Nate's Mission founder.

"it's not an accident or a case of a few bad apples but there's something about the way the church operates about the culture within the church and the way they train their seminarians literally reproduces sexual violence towards children intergenerationally," said Pearson.

On this episode of FFRF's "Ask an Atheist," FFRF Associate Counsel Sam Grover speaks with Peter Isely and Sarah Pearson, two members of a group dedicated to exposing Catholic priest abuse of children.

“Having the Catholic Church say we’re not participating in the investigation, and then having the DOJ do nothing about that. I don’t know what other institution gets that privilege…” questions Noth.

"Deaf survivors are suffering again because the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has chosen to publicly honor Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict is directly responsible for covering up the crimes committed against myself and others at St. John's School for the Deaf," Arthur Budzynski said.

Nate’s Mission, an advocacy group seeking to end clergy abuse, questioned the legitimacy of the list released by the Superior Diocese. Peter Isley, the nonprofit’s program director, said such a list is only as truthful as the people compiling it.

“No one should be going to this funeral,” said Peter Isley, who was abused by a priest when he was a child, and now leads the survivor advocacy group, Nate’s Mission. “By going to the funeral, priests and bishops are showing the community, they’re above all of it."

AG Kaul said so far they've had over 200 reports of clergy or faith leader abuse and have criminally charged two faith leaders. The initiative also guides survivors to victim services and an anonymous tip line. Some survivors, like Isely, said it's not enough.

Isely said those accomplishments fail in comparison to what he's found in recent years – proof that Weakland not only knew priests were sexually assaulting children in Wisconsin but that he also covered it up.

"It doesn't matter how many languages you speak, whether you went to Julliard, whatever accolades you might have, when you facilitate the sexual assault of hundreds, potentially thousands of children, I think that speaks for itself," said John Pilmaier, a clergy abuse victim survivor.

“It really shows their character,” Egan said. “It shows their lack of commitment, really, to keeping children safe, and that they are looking the other way. They’re not being of service, they’re not being neighbors.”