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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview With Paul Steidler, Ray Flynn
Aired March 01, 2003 - 09:42 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: After months of headlines and a big change just last month, the Vatican's new sex abuse policy takes effect today for U.S. priests. Some Americans say it will make a difference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's about time. At least if they're showing that they're doing something, and that they're moving in the right direction to try and get people to feel like they care about people, and not so much about hiding what's been happening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a step toward the reform they should have made a long time ago.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
COOPER: But there is still a debate, of course.
For more on the policy, we go now, Raymond Flynn joins us from Boston. He's a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and the head of Catholic Alliance. And Paul Steidler joins us from Washington. He's a spokesman for SNAP, or the Survivors' Network of Those Abused by Priests.
Paul, I want to start off with you. Your thoughts on the latest changes? Is it too little, too late, or is it just what is needed?
PAUL STEIDLER, SPOKESMAN, SNAP: Well, we don't feel that the changes go nearly far enough. Let's keep in mind that the Catholic Church has a deep, infected wound that was inflicted by hundreds of child-molesting priests and dozens of bishops who are still in office who looked the other way when these activities took place. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
COOPER: So you say it does not go far enough because?
STEIDLER: It does not go far enough because there's no enforcement mechanism. If a bishop chooses to look the other way, it still requires the pope in Rome to personally remove him. And there's too much -- there are too many barriers that are still in place for bishops to be removed.
There also needs to be a Warren Commission-type investigation to figure out the full scope abuse within the church. Right now, there are only three dioceses that have disclosed fully the number of abusive priests, and that accounts for between 5 and 8 percent of priests. The figure that the church and the U.S. gives is 2 percent.
COOPER: All right...
STEIDLER: So the problem could be much more pronounced than the church has let on at this point.
And we feel having an enforcement mechanism where bad bishops are going to be removed from office and having an investigation about the full scope of the problem, and identifying all priests who have abused children, really still needs to take place, so...
COOPER: All right. Ambassador Flynn, your thoughts?
RAYMOND FLYNN, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Well, I think the most important reform that has been implemented is, no longer will clergy sex abuse be perceived or be considered just as a sin and a sickness, which is certainly is. But finally, it's going to be called what it really is, a crime.
And regardless of anybody's stature, they'll be held to the highest standards of the law. And it will be a crime, and so it's mandatory on the part of church authorities to turn over all this information to the appropriate law enforcement officials.
And quite frankly, I think this is probably the most important reform that will protect innocent victims from what has happened in the past, and it will take this out of the hands of church and put in the hands of criminal prosecutors.
COOPER: Mr. Steidler, those who support these latest decisions by the Vatican say that this is really -- will expedite the process of removing bad priests from the priesthood.
STEIDLER: What's really going to expedite the process is by having prosecutors and by others ask the church to turn over all its records about pedophile priests. There has been stiff resistance to this in many areas and a lack of full compliance that has come into play.
COOPER: Sir, are you saying that they're willing to turn over current records but -- or current cases, but they're not willing to turn over past abuses?
STEIDLER: They should turn over all current and all past allegations of child sexual abuse to independent law enforcement authorities.
COOPER: Ambassador Flynn, do you agree with that?
STEIDLER: In some places, like Boston, that has been done.
COOPER: Ambassador Flynn, do you agree with that?
FLYNN: Yes, I do, I agree with that entirely. Not only in the area of pedophile, which is young boys, but also sexual relations, illicit sexual relations with priests with young men as well. I think that's also an appropriate solution to this situation, and that's another issue that the Vatican is ultimately going to have to make, and I hope they make that decision soon.
COOPER: All right. Paul Steidler, Ambassador Ray Flynn, we've simply ran out of time. We do appreciate both of you joining us this morning. Thanks very much.
FLYNN: Thank you.
STEIDLER: 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 March 1, 2003 - 09:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: After months of headlines and a big change just last month, the Vatican's new sex abuse policy takes effect today for U.S. priests. Some Americans say it will make a difference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's about time. At least if they're showing that they're doing something, and that they're moving in the right direction to try and get people to feel like they care about people, and not so much about hiding what's been happening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a step toward the reform they should have made a long time ago.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
COOPER: But there is still a debate, of course.
For more on the policy, we go now, Raymond Flynn joins us from Boston. He's a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and the head of Catholic Alliance. And Paul Steidler joins us from Washington. He's a spokesman for SNAP, or the Survivors' Network of Those Abused by Priests.
Paul, I want to start off with you. Your thoughts on the latest changes? Is it too little, too late, or is it just what is needed?
PAUL STEIDLER, SPOKESMAN, SNAP: Well, we don't feel that the changes go nearly far enough. Let's keep in mind that the Catholic Church has a deep, infected wound that was inflicted by hundreds of child-molesting priests and dozens of bishops who are still in office who looked the other way when these activities took place. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
COOPER: So you say it does not go far enough because?
STEIDLER: It does not go far enough because there's no enforcement mechanism. If a bishop chooses to look the other way, it still requires the pope in Rome to personally remove him. And there's too much -- there are too many barriers that are still in place for bishops to be removed.
There also needs to be a Warren Commission-type investigation to figure out the full scope abuse within the church. Right now, there are only three dioceses that have disclosed fully the number of abusive priests, and that accounts for between 5 and 8 percent of priests. The figure that the church and the U.S. gives is 2 percent.
COOPER: All right...
STEIDLER: So the problem could be much more pronounced than the church has let on at this point.
And we feel having an enforcement mechanism where bad bishops are going to be removed from office and having an investigation about the full scope of the problem, and identifying all priests who have abused children, really still needs to take place, so...
COOPER: All right. Ambassador Flynn, your thoughts?
RAYMOND FLYNN, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Well, I think the most important reform that has been implemented is, no longer will clergy sex abuse be perceived or be considered just as a sin and a sickness, which is certainly is. But finally, it's going to be called what it really is, a crime.
And regardless of anybody's stature, they'll be held to the highest standards of the law. And it will be a crime, and so it's mandatory on the part of church authorities to turn over all this information to the appropriate law enforcement officials.
And quite frankly, I think this is probably the most important reform that will protect innocent victims from what has happened in the past, and it will take this out of the hands of church and put in the hands of criminal prosecutors.
COOPER: Mr. Steidler, those who support these latest decisions by the Vatican say that this is really -- will expedite the process of removing bad priests from the priesthood.
STEIDLER: What's really going to expedite the process is by having prosecutors and by others ask the church to turn over all its records about pedophile priests. There has been stiff resistance to this in many areas and a lack of full compliance that has come into play.
COOPER: Sir, are you saying that they're willing to turn over current records but -- or current cases, but they're not willing to turn over past abuses?
STEIDLER: They should turn over all current and all past allegations of child sexual abuse to independent law enforcement authorities.
COOPER: Ambassador Flynn, do you agree with that?
STEIDLER: In some places, like Boston, that has been done.
COOPER: Ambassador Flynn, do you agree with that?
FLYNN: Yes, I do, I agree with that entirely. Not only in the area of pedophile, which is young boys, but also sexual relations, illicit sexual relations with priests with young men as well. I think that's also an appropriate solution to this situation, and that's another issue that the Vatican is ultimately going to have to make, and I hope they make that decision soon.
COOPER: All right. Paul Steidler, Ambassador Ray Flynn, we've simply ran out of time. We do appreciate both of you joining us this morning. Thanks very much.
FLYNN: Thank you.
STEIDLER: 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
