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How Church Responding to Death of Defrocked Priest

Aired August 29, 2003 - 08:16   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the sexual abuse scandals facing the Roman Catholic Church and just how the church is responding to the death behind bars of defrocked priest John Geoghan. Catholic bishops say that they have made monumental efforts in dealing with sexually abusive priests, but they still admit that they have a long road ahead.
And joining us this morning to discuss all of this is Bishop Wilton Gregory.

He is the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Good morning.

It's nice to see you.

BISHOP WILTON GREGORY, U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: Good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: It's nice to have you.

You've heard word, obviously, that Joseph Druce, who has confessed, essentially, to the murder of John Geoghan, that he did it to avenge the hundred or 160 some cases, alleged cases of sexual abuse that John Geoghan is said to have perpetrated on youngsters.

What's your reaction to that word?

GREGORY: Well, first of all, Soledad, it's one of those events that makes a tragic episode even more difficult. I'd be horrified if anyone was murdered in prison. But in this particular situation, John Geoghan, who had so harmed so many young people, and scandalized and brought great sorrow to the Archdiocese of Boston, indeed, to the church in the United States, he himself now is a victim, making the tragedy even more profound for all those involved, including those who were his victims.

O'BRIEN: Apparently anyone who is convicted -- dies while awaiting a hearing on their appeal -- and John Geoghan had an appeal under way -- can often have that conviction overturned. In other words, John Geoghan may have his record expunged because he died before his appeal was heard.

What would you think if that happened?

GREGORY: That's a technical maneuver in the law. Certainly the event that John Geoghan caused will not be forgotten. And this event causes almost everyone to step back and reflect again at the great sorrow that this whole episode has left for so many people.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about other episodes within the church. The church now has 55 former FBI agents who are working to investigate abuse allegations and also they're assessing the scope of the tragedy and there's this new office for protection of youth.

Give me a sense of how quickly you think all of these steps will be put into place and that the church can look back and say things are significantly better than what they were?

GREGORY: Well, first of all, the FBI agents who are working with the William Gavin Corporation out of Boston to conduct an audit -- basically the audit that is currently under way is the compliance component of the charter. Back in 1992, '93, when the bishops addressed this issue before, we had a very fine outline, a procedure, a series of protocols, but there was no compliance component to make sure that every diocese was doing what had been recommended.

O'BRIEN: The report on that compliance is expected in December.

GREGORY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Do you expect there will be good news from that or do you think there'll be a lack of compliance, as you say there was a decade ago?

GREGORY: No, I am almost certain that the news from the audit will be very positive. It will indicate the bishops of the United States have accomplished what we said we would do in putting in place in every diocese the safety measures that will protect children.

O'BRIEN: Another report due out in January will outline the extent of the abuse. Just how devastating do you think this report is going to be? How overwhelming? How shocking?

GREGORY: Well, it's being conducted by the John Jay College here in New York and it probably will have some very startling statistics, because we've never done this. As a matter of fact, there is no institution that has ever looked at its own record and given a full report on this particular human tragedy. And so the report will stand almost alone, which would pose a problem of the context. How does this compare with other institutions that have to care for children?

But it will be a tough report, I am sure.

O'BRIEN: And I'm sure we'll be back to talk to you about it when it comes out.

Thank you for joining us this morning, Bishop Wilton Gregory.

It's nice to have you.

GREGORY: Thank you very much.

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






Aired August 29, 2003 - 08:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the sexual abuse scandals facing the Roman Catholic Church and just how the church is responding to the death behind bars of defrocked priest John Geoghan. Catholic bishops say that they have made monumental efforts in dealing with sexually abusive priests, but they still admit that they have a long road ahead.
And joining us this morning to discuss all of this is Bishop Wilton Gregory.

He is the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Good morning.

It's nice to see you.

BISHOP WILTON GREGORY, U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: Good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: It's nice to have you.

You've heard word, obviously, that Joseph Druce, who has confessed, essentially, to the murder of John Geoghan, that he did it to avenge the hundred or 160 some cases, alleged cases of sexual abuse that John Geoghan is said to have perpetrated on youngsters.

What's your reaction to that word?

GREGORY: Well, first of all, Soledad, it's one of those events that makes a tragic episode even more difficult. I'd be horrified if anyone was murdered in prison. But in this particular situation, John Geoghan, who had so harmed so many young people, and scandalized and brought great sorrow to the Archdiocese of Boston, indeed, to the church in the United States, he himself now is a victim, making the tragedy even more profound for all those involved, including those who were his victims.

O'BRIEN: Apparently anyone who is convicted -- dies while awaiting a hearing on their appeal -- and John Geoghan had an appeal under way -- can often have that conviction overturned. In other words, John Geoghan may have his record expunged because he died before his appeal was heard.

What would you think if that happened?

GREGORY: That's a technical maneuver in the law. Certainly the event that John Geoghan caused will not be forgotten. And this event causes almost everyone to step back and reflect again at the great sorrow that this whole episode has left for so many people.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about other episodes within the church. The church now has 55 former FBI agents who are working to investigate abuse allegations and also they're assessing the scope of the tragedy and there's this new office for protection of youth.

Give me a sense of how quickly you think all of these steps will be put into place and that the church can look back and say things are significantly better than what they were?

GREGORY: Well, first of all, the FBI agents who are working with the William Gavin Corporation out of Boston to conduct an audit -- basically the audit that is currently under way is the compliance component of the charter. Back in 1992, '93, when the bishops addressed this issue before, we had a very fine outline, a procedure, a series of protocols, but there was no compliance component to make sure that every diocese was doing what had been recommended.

O'BRIEN: The report on that compliance is expected in December.

GREGORY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Do you expect there will be good news from that or do you think there'll be a lack of compliance, as you say there was a decade ago?

GREGORY: No, I am almost certain that the news from the audit will be very positive. It will indicate the bishops of the United States have accomplished what we said we would do in putting in place in every diocese the safety measures that will protect children.

O'BRIEN: Another report due out in January will outline the extent of the abuse. Just how devastating do you think this report is going to be? How overwhelming? How shocking?

GREGORY: Well, it's being conducted by the John Jay College here in New York and it probably will have some very startling statistics, because we've never done this. As a matter of fact, there is no institution that has ever looked at its own record and given a full report on this particular human tragedy. And so the report will stand almost alone, which would pose a problem of the context. How does this compare with other institutions that have to care for children?

But it will be a tough report, I am sure.

O'BRIEN: And I'm sure we'll be back to talk to you about it when it comes out.

Thank you for joining us this morning, Bishop Wilton Gregory.

It's nice to have you.

GREGORY: Thank you very much.

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