Bishops adopt compromise on sexual abuse policy

Detroit News ^ | 06-15-02 | Edward Walsh

[zbogwan2]

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted overwhelmingly Friday to adopt a new national policy on the sexual abuse of minors by priests that would remove all offenders from any job connected with the church but would not necessarily force them out of the priesthood.

[zbogwan2]

The Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, said the bishops backed away from the mandatory removal of abusive priests because laicization -- the formal process of removing a priest -- is cumbersome and time-consuming and such a provision might have been opposed by the Vatican. He said there was also an argument that it could be more dangerous for children if an abusive priest was forced out of the priesthood and was then no longer monitored by church authorities.

Under the new policy, such a priest will be taken out of public ministry and sent "to lead a life of prayer and penance."

"We may in fact be protecting the community by keeping him under church supervision," Reese said.

These first time offenders will probably be sent to a gay oriented monastery/seminary where they'll all die with a smile on their faces?

[Texbob]

They still do not believe that these actions are against church Law or State Law. They are like democraps trying to cover their ass, but fail to do so.