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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Chester Gillis

Aired December 15, 2002 - 11:18   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It will not only take a prayer but reorganization to solve the crisis in the priesthood.
With more on the future of the church, we're joined by Chester Gillis. He's a theology professor at Georgetown University in Washington.

Good to see you, professor.

CHESTER GILLIS, THEOLOGY PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Fredricka. Good morning.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Law's resignation. It is more than about one man or one church or one diocese. This really is, according to a number of Catholics, sort of a symbolic move for the entire Catholic church of this nation in order to make one more step toward healing.

Do you agree with that?

GILLIS: Yes, I do. I think there's a profound sense of relief, but I think it also raises long-standing issues within the church.

WHITFIELD: Such as?

GILLIS: Issues of, for example, the voice of the laity. Whether or not the church will be -- the institutional church will be more sensitive to the voice of the laity.

The issue of the relationship between the Vatican and the American church, whether there is a common understanding between these two entities.

And the issue of other dioceses where similar cases are being brought forth, whether or not -- when those will be resolved and whether or not some bishops will suffer the same fate as Cardinal Law.

WHITFIELD: In what way do you suppose that Law's resignation hopes restore faith, if not just in the Boston Catholic church among parishioners there but perhaps in other regions, California and Los Angeles in particular, which is going head-to-head with an issue of its own, of a sexual abuse scandal?

GILLIS: Well, it may not restore faith around the country. Certainly, in Boston the healing process can begin, and hopefully Bishop Lennon will begin that and his successor will carry that out, I would hope.

But, of course, across the nation there are still many disaffected Catholics. And there are victims everywhere in America who have been profoundly affected by this tragedy.

So I don't think it's the end of the story. It might be the beginning of the last chapter, but it's not the end of the story. And many other bishops are going to have to be much more forthright, and there may be even further resignations.

WHITFIELD: Now what about for the Vatican? The Vatican, of course, has been in the hot seat, as well, for perhaps being quiet for so long.

Does this resignation following the most recent meeting with Pope John Paul II mean anything for healing among parishioners and their view of the Vatican?

GILLIS: Well, I'm not sure. The Vatican dragged its feet for a long time, just as the archdiocese of Boston did.

And I think probably the Vatican, the pope himself, as well, did not understand the depth and the gravity of the situation in Boston and nationally in the church.

Only with the most recent revelations in Boston, which were so horrific, did the pope and Vatican officials -- were they fully apprised of what was happening in Boston and had to take immediate action. But they should have been proactive much earlier, probably, and I suspect they'll investigate other dioceses more closely now.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about the cases of lawsuits and the next step if Law's resignation in any way sets a tone -- something like 500 alleged victims who might be seeking upwards of $90 million. Much of that money which might be able to be distributed through insurance coverage of the diocese in Boston.

Do you see that perhaps this resignation will, in any way, kind of lay the road ahead for some of these alleged victims in their pursuits for settlement?

GILLIS: Well, I think there will be much wrangling, legal and economic wrangling still to go on.

Insurance companies are balking at payments of up to $90 million and saying that there was negligence and malfeasance on the part of the officials in the Boston archdiocese, and therefore the insurance companies are not responsible themselves.

And others are saying that, I think, that the church should do justice to the victims, first of all. The church preaches justice to the world and the church should have justice within its own walls and for its own people.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chester Gillis, thank you very much for joining us of Georgetown University. GILLIS: Thank you.

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 December 15, 2002 - 11:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It will not only take a prayer but reorganization to solve the crisis in the priesthood.
With more on the future of the church, we're joined by Chester Gillis. He's a theology professor at Georgetown University in Washington.

Good to see you, professor.

CHESTER GILLIS, THEOLOGY PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Fredricka. Good morning.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Law's resignation. It is more than about one man or one church or one diocese. This really is, according to a number of Catholics, sort of a symbolic move for the entire Catholic church of this nation in order to make one more step toward healing.

Do you agree with that?

GILLIS: Yes, I do. I think there's a profound sense of relief, but I think it also raises long-standing issues within the church.

WHITFIELD: Such as?

GILLIS: Issues of, for example, the voice of the laity. Whether or not the church will be -- the institutional church will be more sensitive to the voice of the laity.

The issue of the relationship between the Vatican and the American church, whether there is a common understanding between these two entities.

And the issue of other dioceses where similar cases are being brought forth, whether or not -- when those will be resolved and whether or not some bishops will suffer the same fate as Cardinal Law.

WHITFIELD: In what way do you suppose that Law's resignation hopes restore faith, if not just in the Boston Catholic church among parishioners there but perhaps in other regions, California and Los Angeles in particular, which is going head-to-head with an issue of its own, of a sexual abuse scandal?

GILLIS: Well, it may not restore faith around the country. Certainly, in Boston the healing process can begin, and hopefully Bishop Lennon will begin that and his successor will carry that out, I would hope.

But, of course, across the nation there are still many disaffected Catholics. And there are victims everywhere in America who have been profoundly affected by this tragedy.

So I don't think it's the end of the story. It might be the beginning of the last chapter, but it's not the end of the story. And many other bishops are going to have to be much more forthright, and there may be even further resignations.

WHITFIELD: Now what about for the Vatican? The Vatican, of course, has been in the hot seat, as well, for perhaps being quiet for so long.

Does this resignation following the most recent meeting with Pope John Paul II mean anything for healing among parishioners and their view of the Vatican?

GILLIS: Well, I'm not sure. The Vatican dragged its feet for a long time, just as the archdiocese of Boston did.

And I think probably the Vatican, the pope himself, as well, did not understand the depth and the gravity of the situation in Boston and nationally in the church.

Only with the most recent revelations in Boston, which were so horrific, did the pope and Vatican officials -- were they fully apprised of what was happening in Boston and had to take immediate action. But they should have been proactive much earlier, probably, and I suspect they'll investigate other dioceses more closely now.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about the cases of lawsuits and the next step if Law's resignation in any way sets a tone -- something like 500 alleged victims who might be seeking upwards of $90 million. Much of that money which might be able to be distributed through insurance coverage of the diocese in Boston.

Do you see that perhaps this resignation will, in any way, kind of lay the road ahead for some of these alleged victims in their pursuits for settlement?

GILLIS: Well, I think there will be much wrangling, legal and economic wrangling still to go on.

Insurance companies are balking at payments of up to $90 million and saying that there was negligence and malfeasance on the part of the officials in the Boston archdiocese, and therefore the insurance companies are not responsible themselves.

And others are saying that, I think, that the church should do justice to the victims, first of all. The church preaches justice to the world and the church should have justice within its own walls and for its own people.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chester Gillis, thank you very much for joining us of Georgetown University. GILLIS: Thank you.

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