Date=4/19/2002

Type=BACKGROUND REPORT

Title=CATHOLIC CARDINALS

Number=5-51466

Byline=MICHAEL LELAND

Dateline=CHICAGO

Internet=YES

Content=

Voiced At:

Intro: Roman Catholic cardinals from the United States are expected to discuss issues including celibacy and the role of women in the church when they meet at the Vatican Tuesday and Wednesday. The meeting has been called because of current sex abuse scandals within the Roman Catholic Church. The leader of the Archdiocese of Chicago says the scandal's victims go beyond those people who were sexually abused by Catholic priests. V-O-A's Michael Leland has more.

Text: Chicago Cardinal Francis George says the meeting at the Vatican is a good thing, but he wishes it were not necessary. All 13 American cardinals will meet with church officials to discuss how to handle public revelations that priests in several U-S cities have sexually abused teens and children. In some cases, local bishops reportedly knew about the abuse and helped cover it up.

Cardinal George told reporters in Chicago he expects the Vatican meetings to be only a starting point.

/// GEORGE ACT ///

It is kind of hard to imagine that this is going to be the final solution, but it may be part of a process.

/// END ACT ///

Chicago's method of handling allegations of abuse by priests differs from methods used in other parts of the country. A panel of psychologists, church officials and lay people reviews each allegation and makes a recommendation to the cardinal.

In many parts of the country, cardinals and bishops sometimes handle allegations themselves. Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law has admitted transferring known sex abusers to other parishes, prompting calls for his resignation. Cardinal George would not say whether he thinks Cardinal Law should step down. He did say the scandal has hurt not only those who were abused by priests, but also other Catholics who now doubt their church leaders.

/// GEORGE ACT 2 ///

What is broken is a belief in the honesty of bishops. Bishops have covered up and sometimes you can say why they did it and all the rest, but that makes no difference. In fact, they covered up and allowed a crime to continue in a few instances. Therefore, every bishop's honesty is suspect.

/// END ACT ///

Vatican officials say the meetings will also include discussions on celibacy, the screening of gay candidates for the priesthood and the role of women in the church. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles says he will press for discussion on permitting priests to marry. Cardinal George says such a discussion would be good, but a change in church law would not necessarily make abuse of a child by a priest less likely.

/// GEORGE ACT ///

As has been pointed out by a lot of other folks, the overwhelming majority of sexual misconduct with minors is done by married people. So, if marriage is a cure for this, the statistics do not back that up.

/// END ACT ///

The fallout from the church's sex scandal continues throughout the country. In Cincinnati, a grand jury subpoenaed Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk Thursday as part of its investigation of possible child molestation by local priests. He was excused from testifying after the church released records officials had requested.

Church officials in Hannibal, Missouri say they will close a local seminary where several former students say they were abused by Fr. Anthony O'Connell going back to the 1960's. He was most recently a bishop in Palm Beach, Florida. Bishop O'Connell resigned in March after admitting he abused one student in the 1970's.

In Detroit, priests on Saturday and Sunday will read a letter written by Cardinal Adam Maida. He apologizes to victims of abuse and for what he calls mistakes made by church leaders in Detroit and elsewhere in managing this situation. (signed)

NEB/MJL/PT