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U.S. Cardinals Summoned to Vatican Have Blueprint for Reform

Aired April 25, 2002 - 05:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. cardinals summoned to the Vatican to talk about a priest sex abuse scandal have a blueprint for reform.

CNN's Connie Chung tells us about the conclusion of the sex scandal summit at the Vatican.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CONNIE CHUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the end of an extraordinary two day meeting at the Vatican, the U.S. cardinals did it the American way, they held a press conference.

BISHOP WILTON GREGORY, CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: We want to be just in our treatment of even a priest who offends. I mean even a priest who offends, as in the laws of most nations, still enjoys rights until a decision has been made.

CHUNG: So in the end it was a two track process that the cardinals issued. For priests guilty of serial predatory sexual abuse of minors, there is no tolerance. They will be dismissed. But a special review process will be used for priests who are considered a possible threat to children.

GREGORY: We want to move expeditiously, but we want to move correctly. What we hope to put together is a procedure that is clear, specific and, to use a tech -- airtight. But we cannot dispense with a priest's right to appeal to the Holy See.

CHUNG: The cardinals' plan left many matters open, the details to be hammered out in June at the U.S. Conference Of Bishops, meeting in Dallas. It was an effort to resolve the scandal that rocked the American Catholic Church that brought all of them here. There was no consensus on the much talked about zero tolerance policy, but most of the cardinals believe that one strike you're out will apply to at least new cases. What still has to be resolved is what to do about past misdeeds.

CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: What may have happened in the past through inattention or through whatever, I don't think what we've gone through, what our people have gone through, what the victims have gone through, I don't see that that, I can't see anyone with a responsibility in the church ever trying to cover up anything. I think the Holy Father is calling us now to be people of light and that's what we have to start to be.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Again, that was Connie Chung reporting from Rome.

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