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American Morning
Catholic Church in Crisis
Aired June 19, 2003 - 07:32 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: From St. Louis, a year ago the nation's Roman Catholic bishops took steps to address the sex abuse crisis in the church. Today, as the bishops convene in St. Louis for their spring conference, critics now say the reforms have not accomplished much. The church disagrees.
Jason Carroll has more now this morning.
(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 church credibility on the issue of sexual abuse by priests.
ARCHBISHOP JOHN MEYERS, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: We have made dramatic progress across the board, and I don't know of any bishop who would leave priests 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.
BISHOP JOSEPH GALANTE, DALLAS, TEXAS: 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 PRIEST: 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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: Many of the bishops were hoping to avoid a lot of public attention this time, but then you had two key events involving the church this week. First, you have the situation with Bishop Thomas O'Brien in Phoenix, who resigned after he was involved in a hit-and-run. And then you have the situation with former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating. He was the head of a national review board that was set up to oversee the process of dealing with the sexual abuse of priests. He resigned after he compared some of the bishops to the mafia -- Bill.
HEMMER: Jason, we got a policy statement a year ago. Any new policies expected this time around?
CARROLL: Not this go-around, Bill, not expecting to adopt any new policies. What they are expected to do is take a survey of how the policy that's in place is being followed and if it's working.
HEMMER: Jason Carroll, thanks, in 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.
Aired June 19, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From St. Louis, a year ago the nation's Roman Catholic bishops took steps to address the sex abuse crisis in the church. Today, as the bishops convene in St. Louis for their spring conference, critics now say the reforms have not accomplished much. The church disagrees.
Jason Carroll has more now this morning.
(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 church credibility on the issue of sexual abuse by priests.
ARCHBISHOP JOHN MEYERS, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: We have made dramatic progress across the board, and I don't know of any bishop who would leave priests 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.
BISHOP JOSEPH GALANTE, DALLAS, TEXAS: 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 PRIEST: 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.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: Many of the bishops were hoping to avoid a lot of public attention this time, but then you had two key events involving the church this week. First, you have the situation with Bishop Thomas O'Brien in Phoenix, who resigned after he was involved in a hit-and-run. And then you have the situation with former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating. He was the head of a national review board that was set up to oversee the process of dealing with the sexual abuse of priests. He resigned after he compared some of the bishops to the mafia -- Bill.
HEMMER: Jason, we got a policy statement a year ago. Any new policies expected this time around?
CARROLL: Not this go-around, Bill, not expecting to adopt any new policies. What they are expected to do is take a survey of how the policy that's in place is being followed and if it's working.
HEMMER: Jason Carroll, thanks, in 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.
