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CNN Sunday Morning

Charges of Sexual Misconduct in Growing Number of Churches

Aired April 21, 2002 - 07:03   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn now to our top story, the American Catholic Church in crisis. There are charges of sexual misconduct in a growing number of churches. And this week, the American cardinals answer a summons from the Pope.

Alessio Vinci joins us now from Rome on this - Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Kyra. Pope John Paul II this morning ordained new priests here in Rome. He told the priests that they should live a humble live and a live, he said, without sin. However, during his homily, the Pope did not address the sex abuse scandal as he did, for example, a day before meeting with a number of Nigerian bishops from Africa.

During that meeting, Pope John Paul II reiterated his strong belief that priests must live a celibate life and in his words, avoid, what he calls, scandalous behavior. He also urged bishops to investigate those allegations and to take actions in order to end it.

The Pope, in his message to the Nigerian bishops, did not specifically mention the U.S. - the scandal rocking the U.S. Catholic Church in recent months. But he did say that the - he did say that - he did say that the bishops should investigate those issues as much as possible and should investigate those issues in a swiftly way. He also said - he also indicated that he has no indication of addressing the doctorial issues, such as celibacy among the priests. One of the cardinals attending the meeting next week mentioned in an interview recently that he wanted to bring such issues as celibacy during the meeting next week, but the Pope clearing his message yesterday with the Nigerian bishops, making clear that he does -- has no intention of bringing up such issues.

The cardinals are expected to arrive today and tomorrow. The meeting will begin on Tuesday. They will discuss a series of guidelines in directly dealing with the sex abuse scandals, guidelines such as when and how to report first allegations to the police and what to do with priests who have been found guilty of sex abuse, whether to defrock them or whether to reassign them to other - to other parishes. The Vatican officials here say that this is a consultative meeting that will give an opportunity to both Vatican officials and U.S. cardinals to sit at the same table and discuss those guidelines. Nobody is expecting any binding guidelines coming out of this meeting, but just an opportunity for both sides to sit down at the same table and deal with the issue - Kyra. PHILLIPS: Alessio Vinci from Rome, thank you so much.

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