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American Morning

Catholic Bishops and Cardinals Meeting to Address Scandal

Aired June 13, 2002 - 09:16   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And we go back to Dallas now, where Catholic bishops and cardinals are meeting to address the scandal that has shaken the faith of many parishioners. A new church policy for punishing sexually abusive priests will be at the top of their agenda.

Barbara Blaine is the founder of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. And she joins us this morning from Dallas -- good morning, nice to have you with us, Barbara. Welcome.

BARBARA BLAINE, FOUNDER SNAP: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: So Barbara, I know that you and some of your colleagues met with Catholic leadership yesterday. What did you ask them for and what did you talk about?

BLAINE: We are asking for three main points from the bishops. Number one, we are asking that all priests who have molested children be removed from the priesthood. Second, we're asking that all bishops and church leaders who have aided and abetted the priests who have molested children, that they be removed from their positions. And third, we're asking the church leaders to open up their records. And we want them to open them to law enforcement, we want financial disclosures, and we want the personnel records to be audited.

ZAHN: Let's come back to the first point, because our own Jason Carroll is reporting there is an amendment to the draft proposal that's being considered that would be a true zero tolerance policy, as you were telling us, in the past, present and future. And he said the idea might be getting a little traction. But based on your conversations yesterday, do you think all of the bishops will support a tougher zero tolerance policy?

BLAINE: Well we're not really sure, but it seemed as though the bishops who met with us did seem to have an openness and a change of heart having met with the victims. Because I think one of the problems has been that the bishops have really failed to understand the enormous pain and suffering that the victims and our family members experience.

So we think that those who met with us did have a greater understanding of that. And we're hoping that by them hearing our pain and looking to that, that they would not want to leave even one child at risk. And so that's why we stress really strongly that clearly anyone who has molested a child does not belong in the priesthood. No other profession keeps child molesters.

ZAHN: Yeah. The second goal that you mentioned perhaps is the most contentious one, and that is the accountability of bishops. And you said particularly bishops who aided and abetted sexually abusive priests you'd like for them -- to see them lose their jobs. What kind of feedback did you get on that idea?

BLAINE: Well I think that what we are asking is really what most Catholics in the United States and are asking for as well. I mean, the church is, after all, a not for profit organization. And anyone in a position of leadership in that type of an institution who engages in criminal behavior does step down when it's found out.

So that's what we were asking for. I mean, we wanted to make sure that when the bishops leave Dallas that they don't leave with just a mere group of suggestions, which is what the charter, as it stands now, really is. Because there's nothing in it that would have any consequences for bishops who didn't follow the policy.

ZAHN: Short of removing a bishop from his job, what other disciplinary measures would you support if it is proven that a bishop allowed for a sexually abusive priest to be moved from parish to parish?

BLAINE: Well we couldn't make specific recommendations for discipline, but what we believe is that for Catholics, for victims, for anyone to be able to look up to these men in their positions of leadership, that given their behaviors, we think that they should step down. The same way, for example, a judge who has taken a bribe is removed from the bench forever. So we just feel that the bishops need to have some type of mechanism within their policy when they leave Dallas, so that there can be some real change.

After all, when you look at the policy -- I was just going to say, Paula, that 10 years ago the bishops issued a very strong policy. And unfortunately, all the bishops went back home to their dioceses and failed to follow the policy.

ZAHN: Well Barbara, before we let you go, I think people might find your passionate advocacy more interesting if they understood your own personal story. You've come at this issue having been victimized yourself. Share, just very briefly, what happened to you and why it's even more important for you to fight for others who have suffered the same kind of abuse.

BLAINE: Well the priest in my parish began to molest me in the summer between seventh and eighth grade, and that was in Toledo, Ohio and St. Pious Church. And I didn't tell anyone, and the abuse went on for many years. And he threatened me and I was led to believe that it was all my fault.

And it wasn't until many years later as an adult -- actually, I was 29 before I really began to understand that what had happened to me was abuse and that it had caused pain and suffering. And it had a lot of consequences in my life. So I went to the church and thought that they would want to do the right thing and make sure that this priest didn't abuse anyone else. But that isn't what happened. They actually rebuffed me and then left me, and I didn't have any way to find healing. So I began to search for other victims and found them. And we started a self- help group, and that's how I have found some sense of healing, and many other survivors have as well.

ZAHN: Well we appreciate your sharing your personal story with us this morning. And it will be interesting to see how many of the three points that you encouraged the bishops to adopt will eventually be adopted or enforced. Barbara Blaine, thank you very much. Appreciate your time this morning.

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