Clergy
Sexual Abuse
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Wednesday was the big news day for this annual assembly of the U.S. Catholic bishops. For those who have been watching closely, though, there were no surprises. After a series of speeches from the assembly floor, starting with strong endorsements from key bishops, the body overwhelmingly approved the revised norms for handling allegations of sexual abuse against minors. In all, 20 bishops came to the microphone; each was answered by Cardinal Francis George, spokesman for the mixed commission of U.S. and Vatican Church officials who made the revisions to the norms proposed by the U.S. bishops last June in Dallas. There was a similar discussion and passage of slight revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The changes in the Charter reflect the changes in the norms.
The Charter is a strong, but voluntary pledge among the U.S. bishops with specific steps to be sure sexual abuse cases are handled properly and in accordance with local law. The Charter applies to everyone in the Church: layworkers (including lay religious sisters and brothers), deacons, priests and bishops. The norms are applications of Canon Law which specifically address accused priests, deacons and bishops, present and past. Essentially they set up a legal process in the Church for those who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders and are accused of sexual abuse.
Though many media have declared a weakening of the bishops' commitment with the revision of the norms, the bishops presenting the revisions insisted that the Charter is now stronger, with applicable sections firmly placed within the universal law of the Church. Some revisions of the norms were necessary in order to make that more binding relationship, explained Cardinal George.
Perhaps the most succinct and passionate speech on the floor came from Bishop Sean O'Malley, the Capuchin Franciscan who recently was installed in the scandal-torn Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida. His two immediate predecessors there resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct. We end this report with the full text of his comments, which were followed by sustained applause by the body of bishops:
"The crisis exists today because Church leaders dealt with sexual abuse by clergy in a modus operandi that was suggested by a theology of sin and grace, redemption, permanence of the priesthood, but also a great concern about scandal, the bella figura, financial patrimony of the Church. We know now that not enough attention was given to the reporting of crimes, the protection of children and the spiritual and psychological damage done to victims. The Charter and Norms coming out of Dallas seemed very secular to some of us, but I believe they are a corrective to an approach of the past that proved very inadequate. I am happy and grateful that the mixed commission has shown how the Dallas document can be compatible with Canon Law.
"We all share the concerns of the Holy See and our priests against vigilantism. But certainly a secular review board is necessary to have a credible way to judge merits of an allegation. If I were falsely accused, I would want to be exonerated by a civil investigation, or by an independent board. Without such an exoneration, a priest's reputation and the credibility of a bishop's decision will remain seriously compromised. The work of the mixed commission has set the stage for us to be able to assure our priests, who are awaiting anxiously, our people and the American public that we indeed have a national policy that removes all priests, bishops and deacons who have ever abused a child -- a policy which is not just a personal commitment of individual bishops of goodwill, but will be Church law that will apply, not only to the secular clergy but also to the priests in religious orders. This strengthens considerably what we achieved in Dallas. It is most unfortunate that we do not seem to be able to communicate this in the secular media. I hope that our Catholic media will do their best to help correct the false impression being given by the secular press."
