US Sex Abuse: Church Leaders Accused of Impeding Reform

[emad]

<snip>

CHICAGO (AP) - The head of the review board set up to monitor Roman Catholic bishops' response to the clergy sex abuse crisis has accused the church leaders of returning to ``business as usual'' to impede reform efforts.

Some bishops are trying to block the National Review Board from conducting an audit this year to determine whether all 195 U.S. dioceses are following reforms aimed at ridding the priesthood of abusers, Illinois Appellate Court Judge Anne Burke wrote in a letter published Tuesday.

``Those who said the bishops were never serious about breaking free from the sins, crimes and bad judgments of the past will be vindicated,'' Burke wrote in a March 29 letter to Bishop Wilton Gregory of Belleville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Burke confirmed to The Associated Press the authenticity of the text, posted on the Web site of National Catholic Reporter, an independent newspaper.
<snip>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4082005,00.html

[Frances]

1. Are these the same bishops who want to forbid Kerry from

taking communion?

[judge_smales]

2. I am seriouly beginning to wonder if

it isn't time to split from Rome.

[dArKeR]

3. Catholic Church up to old tricks: review board - TT

REUTERS , CHICAGO
Thursday, May 13, 2004,Page 6

A lay panel heading an investigation into sexual abuse in the US Roman Catholic Church has accused the country's bishops of manipulating it and backsliding on promises, according to a letter made public on Tuesday.

The letter was one of several between the National Review Board and various bishops posted on the Web site of the National Catholic Reporter, which said it had obtained and verified them.

The review panel, headed by Anne Burke, a judge in Chicago, criticized the administrative committee of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for deciding to delay action on some key issues until a meeting in November.

The delays, among other things, would push back a second round of audits to see how well dioceses are complying with new measures designed to protect children from clerical abuse.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/05/13/2003155290