Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Interviews With Bishop William Lori, John Allen

Aired June 15, 2002 - 07:15   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: Well, as we reported, U.S. Catholic bishops have adopted a new policy on sexual predators in the clergy. Bishops approved the new policy nearly unanimously, 239 to 13. But there's been criticism that it doesn't go far enough.

Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut, sits on the committee responsible for drafting reform plans on abuse. The Bridgeport diocese has had its own cases of abuse, and Bishop Lori joins me now live from Dallas.

Good morning once again, sir.

BISHOP WILLIAM LORI, BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT: Good morning.

PHILLIPS: First of all, before we get into the discussion, I really want to know for you personally and spiritually, how has all of this affected you and affected your faith?

LORI: First of all, I think for every bishop, it's important that we recognize our God-given responsibility to be accountable for this, to take responsibility for it, and really to listen carefully to the stories of those whose lives have been interrupted and harmed by sexual abuse.

And also to have a sense, like a father of a family, that we need to be among those who are protecting our children and keeping the family of faith united, keeping the family of faith strong.

And so I think this was a very important moment for all of us, and a moment when we have to examine our consciences, acknowledge our failures and our dependence upon the Lord and upon so many good members of the laity to help us to move forward in a really constructive fashion.

PHILLIPS: And bishop, so many Americans wanted zero tolerance. That was not used. That word was not used, but rather some abusive priests will be allowed to stay in the priesthood, they just will be barred from face-to-face contact with parishioners. Is this enough? Is this going to satisfy parishioners? Is this going to satisfy Americans?

LORI: I don't know exactly. What I'm thinking is that the characterization of the policy could be a little stronger. The words to remember are that if a priest or deacon has sexually abused a minor, that priest or deacon is permanently removed from ministry. That's not just face-to-face contact with parishioners, that is all ministry.

And the charter simply identifies all of the ways, or alludes to all of the ways a bishop might bring that about when he needs to do so.

At the same time, I think the charter recognizes the possibility of false allegations brought against innocent priests, and I don't think anybody would want to see us rush to judgment against an innocent priest either. It's important that in responding to a grave crisis, we don't create new crises by making policies that are unjust.

PHILLIPS: The Bridgeport diocese had some of its own problems with abuse, priests suspended for abuse, a priest that was accused of abuse committing suicide. There was talk about that. How is the diocese likely to react to this new policy?

LORI: I believe that the policy that you -- that we've passed in Dallas is very similar to what is already under way in my diocese of Bridgeport, and may I say, in many, many other dioceses in the United States. The important thing is not simply the passing of a charter, the important thing is what happens when you go home.

And one of the things I will certainly do is look at all the things that are being done in my diocese and measure those things against the charter. I believe all the bishops are going home with that resolve.

PHILLIPS: Bishop William Lori, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

LORI: Welcome. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And for additional reaction, we turn to our papal analyst, John Allen is the Vatican correspondent for "The National Catholic Reporter." John joins us live from Rome.

Hello, John.

JOHN ALLEN, VATICAN CORRESPONDENT, "NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER": Hi, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the response from the Vatican right now, and the reaction from the bishops' conference.

ALLEN: Well, formally speaking, the Vatican hasn't said anything, as they wouldn't. I mean, they're going to wait for this thing to be formally communicated over here, and then they'll study it. It'll probably be a period of some weeks if not months before you hear anything at a formal level.

Informally, Vatican officials have been telling me and telling other journalists they have some reservations about what they saw coming out of Dallas. One -- and I think probably the best summary of those concerns you heard from Dallas yesterday, was the speech given by Cardinal Avery Dulles on the floor before the final vote.

Cardinal Dulles ticked off three points that I hear from Vatican officials all the time. One is that the definition of sexual abuse in this document may be too broadly construed. The second is, they're concerned about what's going to happen to the relationship between the bishop and his priests if the bishop becomes an automatic reporter, that is, having to report every allegation, even if the priest comes to the bishop in confidence to talk to him about a problem.

And the third is, how much disclosure is too much? How much turning over of files, how much turning over of documents to the civil authorities is a breach of the church's right to confidentiality.

Those are all strong concerns that are afoot here in the Vatican. And so I think what you have to understand is that Dallas is not the end of the story. Dallas is one frame in a moving picture whose end we don't yet know, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So you're saying that this is definitely going to move into a global discussion. Do you think this policy could have a domino effect?

ALLEN: Yes, Kyra, listen, this is what the Vatican is above all concerned about. I mean, they know that in a way the whole world is watching what the American bishops did in Dallas this weekend. I mean, you can bet your bottom dollar that bishops and officials who are responsible for sexual abuse issues all over the world have already downloaded this charter and this set of norms and are studying it with a fine-toothed comb.

It will be widely influential, and the Vatican certainly is aware of that. They're aware that, in a way, the American bishops were setting precedent for the whole world. That's why there's such a high level of concern here with what the end product is -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Definitely want to switch gears for a moment, John. Got to talk about Padre Pio. Describe to us what will happen on Sunday at the canonization.

ALLEN: Chaos, in a word. The Roman authorities tell us they're expecting a minimum of 400,000 people. It could go as high as 600,000, which would be, if not the largest, one of the largest religious gatherings ever in the history of Rome. And given the history of this city, that's a pretty remarkable statement.

And not only in Rome will people be gathering. In Padre Pio's hometown of Pietrelcina there will be a gathering of some 50,000, 100,000 people. And in the southern Italian city where he spent most of his life, San Giovanni Rotondo, there are going to be about 100,000 to 150,000 people.

They say that when the moment of canonization comes, helicopters will release balloons and holy cards. And so it is going to be a big, big deal, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Papal analyst John Allen live from Rome, thank you so much, John.

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