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Vatican says abuse policy goes too far
The Vatican will issue a formal rejection of the American bishops' "zero tolerance" policy on clergy accused of abuse, all the country's major papers report today.

"The Holy See, above all, would like to convey full solidarity with the Bishops of the United States in their firm condemnation of sexual misdeeds against minors and is deeply concerned about the distressing situation that has arisen in recent months in the Church in the United States," says a letter from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation of Bishops, to Bishop Wilton Gregory, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: "Despite these efforts, the application of the policies adopted at the Plenary Assembly in Dallas can be the source of confusion and ambiguity, because the 'Norms' and 'Charter' contain provisions which in some aspects are difficult to reconcile with the universal law of the Church."

The Vatican therefore has suggested a joint commission to adapt the American bishops' rules to existing church law.

One unnamed Vatican official quoted in The New York Times spoke a bit more plainly. The American bishops, he said, "have passed from a situation in which they hardly wanted to intervene at all into one in which they want to intervene too much. … If zero tolerance means justice, I agree. But more than fulfilling justice, this might be an effort to make the American media happy."

Gregory told the Associated Press he wasn't surprised or disappointed. "We're dealing with basically a sound document that needs modification rather than recasting," he said.

Victims groups are upset, the AP reports.

So far, the only major opinion piece comes from John L. Allen Jr, the National Catholic Reporter's Vatican correspondent. In The Boston Globe, he writes, "It is possible that a 'derogation,' the technical canonical term for a blanket waiver, might be given to allow US bishops to operate outside of canon law for the two year review period established in Dallas. Yet that would delay the problem, not resolve it. Victims of sexual abuse have a right to know the law by which cases will be judged. Otherwise, the 'closure' bishops offer them when a priest is removed from ministry may well be illusory; that priest can appeal to Rome and might be reinstated. Accused priests have the right to know the law by which their case will be judged." Thus, he says, the Vatican still has a lot of questions to answer.

More on abuse:

• Canadian bishops to address sex abuse scandals | Gathering will debate whether to reset guidelines. (The Toronto Star)
  
  
• Concerned priests try to rediscover voice | After 10 months of headlines about clergy sex abuse, Boston's priests are also, increasingly, regaining their voice. (The Boston Globe)
  
  
• $300m lawsuit claims Catholic bishop covered up for paedophile priests (The Guardian, London)

More articles on Catholicism:

• Pope hints he plans to stay `until the end' (Chicago Tribune)
  
  
• Man of mystery | The pope changes the rosary (Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal)
  
  
• The Pope's belief in daily prayer | His decision to amend the Rosary brings an unexpected change to one of the church's oldest forms of prayer (BBC)

Billy Graham's Texas mission begins
A packed out stadium? Check. Thousands responding to the altar call as others sing Just As I Am? Check. Articles suggesting this may be "Billy Graham's last crusade"? Check. On that last point, however, note that Graham hasn't announced any plans for future missions.

President Bush Sr. introduced Graham last night, and also talked briefly about how "our president" is doing all he can to "find a peaceful solution to this latest conflict with Iraq."

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October (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46