Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Interview With Father Steve Rosetti

Aired June 12, 2002 - 10:26   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: American church leaders don't dispute the figures but they note the review includes misconduct dating back years or even decades. Now for more from the bishops' conference.

Steve Rosetti is a Catholic priest and psychologist who has been treating priests who have been accused of sexual abuse. And he is attending the conference in Dallas as an adviser on an ad hoc committee on sexual abuse. Father Rosetti, good morning and thank you for joining us. Many people are concerned, going into this conference, about a lack of a zero tolerance policy being proposed. What would you say to that?

FATHER STEVE ROSETTI: Well, Daryn, most bishops agree with zero tolerance, but there are some who do not. Most people in the pews agree with a zero tolerance, but some do not. Right now, the one exception is a very narrow one, which includes review by a review board plus public disclosure. Whether or not that clause stays in by Saturday, we don't know. It will be the most hotly debated issue in the entire conference.

KAGAN: As I can imagine. Father, can you even explain to me how anyone could be against a zero tolerance policy at this point, what the defense of that is?

ROSETTI: It is very conflictual. There are many different ranges of kinds of abuse. In the past, there have been cases where priests have committed abuse decades ago, have gone through treatment, and have worked in a limited ministry and have done well for 20 or 30 years. Sometimes the parishioners and the people want it keep these priests. But these must be the exceptions, and there must be public disclosure.

KAGAN: And let me just ask you flat out, Father. Do you believe that a priest that has been accused and convicted of sexual abuse should still be in the priest hood and should still be serving?

ROSETTI: Wherever they go, I think we need three things. There are three things that work to keep children safe. One is treatment, and it does usually work, monitoring their behaviors and no access to minors. Whether they stay in the priesthood in some limited form or are suspended or thrown out, we need those three things: treatment, monitoring, and no access to minors.

KAGAN: And as you meet on this ad hoc committee, in your own mind, what is the priority, the priests or the children?

ROSETTI: Clearly, the ad hoc committee and the entire conference must make victims and protecting children their first priority. And you see some signs of this. For example, there is a victim on the ad hoc committee itself. The bishops will be listening to victims this afternoon. Thursday morning, three victims will address the entire bishops; conference. And indeed, even the title of the charter says for the protection of children and young people. So children must come first.

KAGAN: The church is clearly at a crisis point. Are you hoping this brief conference will get the church back on the right track?

ROSETTI: Well, it's been a terrible crisis, Daryn, for all of us and very upsetting, especially for the victims and their families. Dallas must be a turning point for the church. We must get a handle on this problem and to move forward with better policies in a church that's safer for children.

KAGAN: Father, one thing that is not addressed is the issue of the people who have protected these priests over the years. Why is that not being looked at this time?

ROSETTI: What this conference is trying to do is build in a set of accountability structures. There will be a review board, which is going to ensure implementation of the policy, there's going to be a national office to review each diocese, and then there's going to be a lay review board monitoring the national office. So there will be three levels of accountability to make sure the bishops follow these guidelines.

KAGAN: And yet, bishops who haven't followed the guidelines in the past, that's not going to be addressed at this conference. Why not?

ROSETTI: Well, the conference does not really have the authority to do that. Any disciplining of bishops must come from Rome, from the congregation, from the bishops, and from the Vatican.

So this is a group of peers getting together to set forth a stringent set of policies that will make our church safer for children.

Father Steve Rosetti, thank you for joining us today, sir. Appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com