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CNN Saturday Morning News

Catholic Bishops Criticized for Newly Adopted Sex Abuse Policy

Aired June 15, 2002 - 09:01   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: Catholic bishops are in Dallas for another day of meetings, but the criticism of their newly approved policy on priests who commit sex abuse is already under fire.

Joining us with more is CNN's Jason Carroll. Hi again, Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Kyra.

After two days of debate and a few revisions, the U.S. Conference of Bishops did finally pass a policy on terms of how to deal with allegations of sexual abuse here in the United States.

Some of the bishops acknowledging that this is not a panacea, it's not a perfect policy. But they say it will protect children, although there are some out there who are saying it doesn't go far enough.

It is a changed policy from what was originally proposed last week. It closes a loophole that would have allowed one-time offenders to remain in the priesthood. But victims say it's not the zero tolerance they wanted, because it would allow some priests who voluntarily withdraw from ministry to stay in the church, perhaps in a monastery.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No second chances, no first strike. For those who think or say this is not zero tolerance, then they have not read it carefully.

DAVID CLOHESSY, PRIEST ABUSE VICTIM: As it stands, we remain worried that what the bishops are calling zero tolerance, what the bishops are calling zero tolerance is not in fact zero tolerance. For the future, they're talking zero tolerance, but talk is cheap, and we were here 10 years ago when they used a similar phrase, "substantiated allegation." And it was talk only with very little implementation.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

CARROLL: Lots of debate over the question of zero tolerance.

There's also a question about accountability. There's nothing in this current policy that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- that clearly outlines how a bishop or a cardinal, for that matter, should be punished if he chooses not to follow this policy, although this morning the bishop from Bridgeport, Connecticut, said that the bishops are in line and they are ready to go home and implement this plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BISHOP WILLIAM LORI, BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT: 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: The policy also calls for that any time that there is an allegation of sexual abuse, that must be reported to civil authorities, but it does not specify when it should be reported to authorities. It also calls for establishing a national review board whose job it will be to monitor exactly how these bishops are implementing these policies at their dioceses. The person heading up that particular review board, Governor Frank Keating from Oklahoma.

But again, some victims out there are saying that this policy still does not go far enough -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jason Carroll, thank you.

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