Catholic Whistleblowers requests Vatican investigation of flaws in US bishops' sex abuse policies
by Brian Roewe | Jan. 19, 2016
After years of raising concerns to U.S. bishops about potential holes in their clergy sexual abuse policies to little avail, a group of Catholic advocates has requested Vatican intervention.
Catholic Whistleblowers, in a formal request for investigation, alleges the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has not followed through fully on its policy of zero tolerance toward abusive priests and deacons, in part because its guidelines lack a mechanism to assure that bishops send the necessary cases to the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In addition, the organization argues that the conference uses a higher bar than church law to determine which cases require review by Rome.
"In a deliberate and ongoing way, the USCCB reneges on its commitment [to zero tolerance]. The conference does not exercise the leadership necessary to assure that known sexually abusive priests and deacons are removed from the community and that the community is warned about the sexually abusive priests and deacons," Fr. James Connell, a canon lawyer and a member of Catholic Whistleblowers, said in the letter.
The U.S. bishops' conference declined comment on the petition, saying that since it was sent to the Congregation for Bishops, the conference defers to the Vatican on how the questions raised are addressed.
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/catholic-whistleblowers-requests-vatican-investigation-flaws-us-bishops-sex
beemer27
(457 posts)I am a cradle Catholic, and I will die a Catholic. I do not agree with some of the Church dogma, and am not in full Communion with the Church. That had to be said so that you know where I am coming from. Catholic priests are better trained and educated than any other religion, they live under stricter rules then any other clergy, and they should be held to a much higher standard than any other clergy. I realize that, percentage-wise Catholic clergy commits less pedophilia than clergy of other faiths, but they should commit NO pedophilia at all. Any priest that crosses the line should be given a fair and immediate hearing. If innocent, that innocence should be broadcast for all to hear. If guilty, he, or she, should be defrocked and banned from any official position in the Church. Excommunication is too harsh. The Lord will decide what eternal fate they deserve. That is not for us to judge. God in His mercy may or may not forgive the transgressions. Until the Church has a transparent process like this, people will mistrust the clergy. We can not have any more hidden reports and shuffling of priests to protect them from civil prosecution. The future of the Church depends on this.
rug
(82,333 posts)The Church has needed a Pope like this for a long time. I pray that he can accomplish what needs to be done.