![\"Covington](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Covington-High-School-students-confrontation.jpg\")
<\/a>Amid mounting pressure, Bishop Roger Joseph Foys of the Diocese of Covington issued a new statement Friday apologizing to a group of pro-life students the Diocese initially condemned over a confusing video from the March for Life.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Diocese was among those that condemned a group of Covington Catholic High School students after reports claimed a video showed them harassing an elderly Native American veteran at the March for Life last weekend<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. But additional extended video and firsthand accounts soon revealed the man, Nathan Phillips, was the one who waded into the group waiting for its bus and decided to beat a drum inches from student Nick Sandmann\u2019s face, and other adults who accompanied Phillips shouted racial taunts at the kids. The kids had been performing school cheers in an attempt to drown out the harassment, and did not respond to\u00a0adults\u2019 insults and abuse in kind.<\/span><\/p>\n On January 19, the Covington Diocese and the high school issued a joint statement<\/a><\/strong><\/span> that the students\u2019 behavior was \u201copposed to the Church\u2019s teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person.\u201d The statement also suggested the students faced expulsion. After the original narrative fell apart, Foys issued a new statement<\/a><\/strong><\/span> stating that an \u201cindependent, third-party investigation is planned to begin this week\u201d and that it was \u201cimportant for us to gather the facts that will allow us to determine what corrective actions, if any, are appropriate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Many have criticized the community\u2019s Catholic authorities for condemning the boys in the first place and for not simply retracting and apologizing for the original statement. An attorney has threatened<\/a><\/strong><\/span> libel suits for any public figures that refuse to retract false statements, and a conservative group has targeted<\/a><\/strong><\/span> Foys in radio ads.<\/span><\/p>\n LifeSite\u00a0collected more than 27,000 petition signatures<\/a><\/strong><\/span> calling on him to apologize and exonerate the students. On Thursday morning, LifeSite Campaigns Manager Scott Schittl gathered with a group of local Catholics outside the diocesan offices to pray a Rosary. Schittl attempted delivery<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of the petition, but the doors were locked.<\/span><\/p>\n Late Friday afternoon, the Diocese of Covington released a new, more apologetic letter signed by Foys.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are sorry that this situation has caused such disruption in the lives of so many. We apologize to anyone who has been offended in any way by either of our statements which were made with good will based on the information we had,\u201d Foys writes in the letter<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. \u201cWe should not have allowed ourselves to be bullied and pressured into making a statement prematurely, and we take full responsibility for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI especially apologize to Nicholas Sandmann and his family as well as to all CovCath families who have felt abandoned during this ordeal,\u201d he continues. \u201cNicholas unfortunately has become the face of these allegations based on video clips. This is not fair. It is not just.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Foys expresses hope that the results of the investigation \u201cwill exonerate our students so that they can move forward with their lives.\u201d Covington parents have expressed concern that the investigation, which has not been called off, is seeking permission<\/a><\/strong><\/span> to interview their children and that they were barred from entering the school<\/a><\/strong><\/span> without an appointment while Foys met with the students this week.<\/span><\/p>\n Message From the Most Rever…<\/a> by on Scribd<\/span><\/p>\n