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CNN Live Today
Bishops Get Mixed Reviews for Progress on Protecting Children
Aired June 19, 2003 - 10:19 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: In Boston this morning a man who says he was abused by a Catholic priest is hospitalized in critical condition.
Patrick McSorley is at the center of a lawsuit against the Catholic Church after contending he was sexually assaulted by now defrocked priest John Geoghan in 1986.
The 28-year-old McSorley was found by a friend floating in the Neponset River yesterday -- the Neponset River, that is. He's said to have a 50/50 chance of recovery. We will keep our eye on that story.
Meanwhile, the Vatican moved quickly to replace Phoenix Bishop Thomas O'Brien, who resigned following his arrest in a fatal hit and run accident over the weekend. Santa Fe Archbishop Michael Sheehan was named to run the Phoenix diocese until a new bishop can be found.
O'Brien's peers are trying to put the matter in perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARCHBISHOP JOHN MEYERS, NEWARK, N.J.: The situation in Phoenix is one of great tragedy. It was tragic a few weeks ago. It's even more tragic now. I would think that the, first of all, our heart goes out to the man who was killed and his family and with great sorrow.
And as far as any involvement of Bishop O'Brien, which I really don't know that much about. I've been traveling and all, but it's in the hands of the authorities and I think that that's where it belongs.
JOSEPH GALANTE, BISHOP OF DALLAS: It reminds one of the book of Job where one calamity after another is visited on the church in Phoenix. And it's a terrible tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: It is against this backdrop and the ongoing sex scandal in the priesthood that Catholic Church leaders are convening in St. Louis.
CNN's Jason Carroll has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's going to be the major topic for bishops meeting in St. Louis, how to restore crunch credibility on the issue of sexual abuse by priests. MEYERS: We have made dramatic progress across the board, and I don't know of any bishop who would leave a priest accused of harming a child on assignment.
CARROLL: Last year, under immense public pressure, U.S. Bishops changed church policy and adopted new measures to prevent bishops from protecting abusive priests. The new charter requires allegations be reported to authorities and priests be removed when faced with a credible allegation.
Victims' rights groups say so far, more than 400 priests have been removed.
GALANTE: The focus is, are we creating a safe environment for children, for young people, for the vulnerable? Whatever we did in the past or whatever happened in the past, you know, have we learned from our mistakes?
CARROLL: Critics say no.
DAVID CLOHESSY, SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS: The sad reality is despite a year and a half of horrific disclosures, despite repeated promises to try harder and do better, most bishops, fundamentally, are still dealing with this in the same patterns. The same patterns of secrecy and denial.
CARROLL: The victims rights groups are encouraged bishops are surveying the scope of the abuse and have formed an office to protect children.
KATHLEEN MCCHESNEY, OFFICE OF CHILD AND YOUTH PROTECTION: I see optimism among some of them that the bishops are attempting to implement some safe environment programs that will protect children in the future.
CARROLL (on camera): For the bishops in St. Louis, it's not about adopting any new policies on sexual abuse. It's about making sure those now in place are being followed and are working.
Jason Carroll, CNN, St. Louis.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Children>
Aired June 19, 2003 - 10:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: In Boston this morning a man who says he was abused by a Catholic priest is hospitalized in critical condition.
Patrick McSorley is at the center of a lawsuit against the Catholic Church after contending he was sexually assaulted by now defrocked priest John Geoghan in 1986.
The 28-year-old McSorley was found by a friend floating in the Neponset River yesterday -- the Neponset River, that is. He's said to have a 50/50 chance of recovery. We will keep our eye on that story.
Meanwhile, the Vatican moved quickly to replace Phoenix Bishop Thomas O'Brien, who resigned following his arrest in a fatal hit and run accident over the weekend. Santa Fe Archbishop Michael Sheehan was named to run the Phoenix diocese until a new bishop can be found.
O'Brien's peers are trying to put the matter in perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARCHBISHOP JOHN MEYERS, NEWARK, N.J.: The situation in Phoenix is one of great tragedy. It was tragic a few weeks ago. It's even more tragic now. I would think that the, first of all, our heart goes out to the man who was killed and his family and with great sorrow.
And as far as any involvement of Bishop O'Brien, which I really don't know that much about. I've been traveling and all, but it's in the hands of the authorities and I think that that's where it belongs.
JOSEPH GALANTE, BISHOP OF DALLAS: It reminds one of the book of Job where one calamity after another is visited on the church in Phoenix. And it's a terrible tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: It is against this backdrop and the ongoing sex scandal in the priesthood that Catholic Church leaders are convening in St. Louis.
CNN's Jason Carroll has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's going to be the major topic for bishops meeting in St. Louis, how to restore crunch credibility on the issue of sexual abuse by priests. MEYERS: We have made dramatic progress across the board, and I don't know of any bishop who would leave a priest accused of harming a child on assignment.
CARROLL: Last year, under immense public pressure, U.S. Bishops changed church policy and adopted new measures to prevent bishops from protecting abusive priests. The new charter requires allegations be reported to authorities and priests be removed when faced with a credible allegation.
Victims' rights groups say so far, more than 400 priests have been removed.
GALANTE: The focus is, are we creating a safe environment for children, for young people, for the vulnerable? Whatever we did in the past or whatever happened in the past, you know, have we learned from our mistakes?
CARROLL: Critics say no.
DAVID CLOHESSY, SURVIVORS NETWORK OF THOSE ABUSED BY PRIESTS: The sad reality is despite a year and a half of horrific disclosures, despite repeated promises to try harder and do better, most bishops, fundamentally, are still dealing with this in the same patterns. The same patterns of secrecy and denial.
CARROLL: The victims rights groups are encouraged bishops are surveying the scope of the abuse and have formed an office to protect children.
KATHLEEN MCCHESNEY, OFFICE OF CHILD AND YOUTH PROTECTION: I see optimism among some of them that the bishops are attempting to implement some safe environment programs that will protect children in the future.
CARROLL (on camera): For the bishops in St. Louis, it's not about adopting any new policies on sexual abuse. It's about making sure those now in place are being followed and are working.
Jason Carroll, CNN, St. Louis.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Children>
