Charter in effect as Vatican studies it

"My understanding is that, although the Vatican wants the American bishops to refine some language and some canonical procedures," Bishop Hubbard said, "the Vatican has backed the fundamental decision made in Dallas, which was to remove from public ministry any priest who had sexually abused a child."

In its long-awaited response to the U.S. bishops' sex abuse norms, the Vatican called for a joint commission of American bishops and Vatican personnel to study and revise some of the key elements of the plan before formal Vatican approval is granted.

Approval sought

Vatican approval, or "recognitio," would make the norms binding in all U.S. dioceses. The Vatican said it was concerned that "ambiguity and confusion" could arise when the norms are applied, because some provisions are "difficult to reconcile with the universal law of the Church."

The problematic areas include the definition of terms like "sexual abuse," the role of diocesan review boards and the canonical procedures for dealing with priests who have abused minors.

'Basically sound'

He noted that the Vatican did not categorically reject any element of the bishops' sex abuse plan and added that the commission's review did not mean that implementation of the sex abuse charter was now "frozen" in dioceses.

"We have not stepped back from our compassion for those who have been harmed, nor from our determination to put into place policies that will protect children," he said.

Bishop 'pleased'

"I believe that the Church must reach out with compassion to victims and strive to protect children in every way possible, while it also goes on doing the work for which it has historically been known: serving people's spiritual, pastoral, social and educational needs."

Other bishops echoed Bishop Hubbard:

* Bishop Robert Banks of Green Bay, Wisc., said that "there is no indication that there will be any reversal of the decisions already made to remove priests from ministry."

* Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles said that "no priest who has been found to have sexually abused a minor will be returned to ministry in the Church."

* Cardinal Adam Maida of Detroit said, "The Holy See is fully supportive of the efforts of the United States bishops to respond firmly to the sexual misdeeds of a very small number of priests."

Commission

He made public a two-page letter from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, head of the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops. The letter voiced strong support for the bishops' efforts to respond to the sex abuse crisis but noted possible areas of confusion and questions of interpretation in the norms.

Cardinal Re described three problem areas in general terms, while Bishop Gregory gave more specific examples in his statement:

* Cardinal Re said the norms and the charter contain provisions that "in some aspects are difficult to reconcile with the universal law of the Church." Bishop Gregory said an example was the proper role of review boards, which are to be established in every diocese. Although these were envisioned as consultative bodies, Vatican officials are concerned that bishops might be held accountable to these boards; they say that would be an unacceptable infringement on the bishop's authority.

* Cardinal Re said the terminology of the norms and the charter were "at times vague or imprecise and therefore difficult to interpret." Bishop Gregory said an example was the term "sexual abuse." The U.S. bishops' charter cited a definition that said sex abuse of children need not involve physical or genital contact. Vatican officials fear that this is too ambiguous.

* Cardinal Re said that "questions also remain concerning the concrete manner in which the procedures are to be applied in conjunction with the requirements of the Code of Canon Law" and with Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter last year that gave to the Vatican's doctrinal congregation oversight on cases of clerical sex abuse against minors.

Bishop Gregory said an example of the Vatican's concern in this area would be the procedures for dealing with a priest who is known to have abused a minor. The U.S. bishops' plan is more strict than those of canon law or the pope's letter.

(10-24-02) [[In-content Ad]]