News
- Vatican May Reject Some Portions of Abuse Policy (The Guardian)
"Elements of the toughened sex abuse policy approved by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have been rejected at the Vatican, which has warned American prelates about going ahead with some reforms, church sources familiar with the Holy See's response said Thursday." 10-02
Papers
- 02-26-04 Boston Church: Seven Percent of Past Priests Accused of Abuse (CBS News)
"The Boston Archdiocese, the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse crisis that has shaken the Roman Catholic Church, released a report Thursday showing that 162 of its priests have been accused of molesting 815 minors since 1950."
"The number of priests alleged to have molested people is equivalent to about 7 percent of the 2324 ordained priests who served in the archdiocese during that time, according to statistics released by church officials." 11-02
- 02-26-04 Catholic Abuse Non-Compliance List (CBS News)
"Here is the list of dioceses identified by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Child and Youth Protection as failing to fully comply with a policy adopted to prevent sexual abuse by priests." 11-02
- Catholic Church Fights Back by Accusing Victims (Washington Post - Powell and Romano)
"Besieged by hundreds of lawsuits accusing clergy and employees of abusing the faithful, the Catholic Church has responded with a muscular display of legal power. Where once the church tried to quietly settle cases, according to church and plaintiff lawyers, it is now pursuing an aggressive litigation strategy, hiring high-powered law firms and private detectives to examine the personal lives of the church's accusers, fighting to keep documents secret and engaging in new tactics to minimize settlements."
"In Boston, archdiocese lawyers countersued a 6-year-old boy and his parents, accusing them of negligence for trusting the Catholic priest, the Rev. Paul R. Shanley, who allegedly molested him. It was a strategy similar to the one followed by lawyers for the Hawaii Archdiocese."
Some involved with the church see this new strategy, threatening victims to keep new ones from coming forward, as a bad idea. "A.W. Richard Sipe, a psychotherapist and former priest who has treated abusive priests and their victims" argues that the strategy conflicts with the church's role. 'The church cannot shrug off down-and-dirty defense tactics as just the usual legal maneuvering against a tough opponent. As I recall, the church is supposed to be a moral force.' 5-02
- Catholic Law on Abuse Difficult to Develop (ABC News)
" 'If you went down to the law library and pulled out the books on how to deal with sex abuse cases in state criminal court, you'd have reams of paper and distinctions and issues that have been developed over years, through cases and jurisprudence and legislation,' Reese said. 'The Catholic church is trying to make all this up very quickly and it's not an easy or simple process.' " 11-02
- Catholic Priests Disapprove of Bishop Responses (ABC News)
"Two-thirds of the nation's Roman Catholic priests disapprove of the way U.S. bishops have handled sexual abuse allegations against members of the clergy, a nationwide poll has found." 10-02
- Catholic Response to Abuse (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Provides five principles for priests to follow regarding allegations of sexual abuse. 4-02
- Child Abuse by Priests - The Consequences (Washington Post - Boodman)
Provides an inquiry into the long-term effects of abuse by Catholic priests. 7-02
- Letter from USA Cardinals to Priests Regarding Scandal (USA Today)
Provides a letter from cardinals to priests in the United States regarding the scandal of those representing the Catholic Church violating their vows and abusing children. 5-02
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