[ OUR OPINION ]
Bishops take
responsible action
against molesters
THE ISSUE Roman Catholic bishops have agreed on a new policy that would remove all child molesters from parish life but would allow them to remain priests.
ROMAN Catholic bishops in the United States have responded to the outcry about priests' molestation of children by approving a policy aimed at isolating abusers. While victims wanted a harsher policy, ousting all child molesters -- long past and recent -- from the priesthood, the policy approved by bishops meeting in Dallas last week was responsible and realistic.
Victims and other critics of past church policy called for abusive priests to be defrocked. However, any policy must be approved by Pope John Paul II, and Vatican officials had said the pope was opposed to a policy of zero tolerance. The pope had stressed that any new policy should recognize the possibility of redemption.
The church has been embroiled in the scandal since January, when Cardinal Law of Boston acknowledged that he allowed a pedophile to remain a priest and serve in parishes. More than 130 people say they were molested by the Boston priest, John Geoghan, who has since been defrocked.
About 250 of the nation's 46,000 priests have resigned or been suspended this year because of accusations of sexual abuse. Most recently, the Honolulu diocese placed a Lahaina pastor on administrative leave because of accusations of misconduct in an incident that occurred two decades ago. Many West Maui Catholics have rallied to the pastor's support. Hawaii Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo recently said he favored a policy of zero tolerance stronger than that approved since then by the American bishops.
The issue at the bishops' conference focused on whether abusive priests should be defrocked or allowed to remain in the priesthood but prohibited from performing duties requiring contact with people, from celebrating Mass to teaching in parochial school. The approved policy still would allow bishops to remove molesters from the priesthood if recommended by a review panel comprised mainly of lay people. An advisory panel created in Honolulu 10 years ago to address accusations of sexual misconduct lacks specific lay involvement.
An important but less controversial aspect of the policy would prohibit dioceses from signing confidentiality agreements with victims in civil lawsuits except when insisted upon by the victims. In addition, the policy would require the church to report all claims of sexual abuse of a minor to law-enforcement authorities.
The Catholic church in Honolulu and elsewhere for too long has regarded sexual molestation within the church to be a private matter. Acceptance of the new policy by the Vatican would recognize that the church is part of the larger society and should not shield illegal conduct from public sanction.
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