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U.S. Cardinals Conclude Meeting at Vatican

Aired April 25, 2002 - 13:24   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: But from Rome in Vatican City, there is tough talk but few details now from the U.S. cardinals. They have wrapped up their two-day Vatican summit on the U.S. priest sex abuse scandal. Our Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, now with more on that meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): The U.S. cardinals agreed there will be no tolerance for priests guilty of serial, predatory, sexual abuse of minors. They will be dismissed from the priesthood. But, the cardinals could not reach a consensus on the crucial issue of zero tolerance towards priests who are believed to be first-time offenders. In other words, one strike and you are out.

CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK, WASHINGTON: You can't dismiss him right away. You have just had this accusation. You feel it is credible, you take him out of ministry. So he is on what I usually call administrative leave, and during that time, he does not exercise his functions as a priest.

VINCI: Cardinal McCarrick of Washington, D.C. suggests during the suspension period, the accused priest would go through psychological evaluation and his future decided by a review board, which would include lay people, like doctors, relatives of sex abuse victims, and police. Bishop Wilton Gregory, head of the U.S. Bishops Conference, said the aim is to move fast against offenders, but in a fair way.

BISHOP WILTON GREGORY, U.S. CONFERENCE OF 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.

VINCI: In their final statement, the heads of the U.S. Catholic church repeatedly mention Pope John Paul II. On Tuesday, the pontiff said there was no room in the church for those who harm the young. Some interpreted the message as an endorsement of zero tolerance, but the pope also suggested offending priests should be helped through prayer and therapy.

In an open letter to the priests of the United States, the cardinals took some of the blame for not protecting the church from the scandal. But they say it won't happen again.

MCCARRICK: I can't see how anyone in the United States today would cover up something like that. What may have happened in the past through inattention or through whatever, I don't think what we have gone through, what our people have gone through, what the victims have gone through, I don't see that -- I can't see anyone with the responsibility in the church ever trying to cover up anything.

VINCI: Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

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