We go now to Eddie in Erie, Pennsylvania, listening on the Station of the Cross.
Eddie, you are on with Tom Nash, what’s your question?
Hi Tom, this is Eddie, I was just wondering, cause I’ve been getting the [National Catholic]
Register and all, and Pope Francis gave his solution to, like, a lot of the problems,
all the scandals that broke out over the sexual issues, and I was just wondering what—whether
you or I could find some kind of solution for this so that the Catholic Church doesn’t
get blown out of shape and, you know, it doesn’t have to take another hit for that, you know
what I mean?
Well, it’s been going on now, the solution, or, or….working toward a solution, or continuing
to work toward a solution, since 2001 when, unfortunately, for a few decades, there was
not as good of a policing sometimes of people who were ordained, and also in terms of dealing
with those who did transgress, that sometimes they were moved from one parish to another,
and maybe had gotten some counseling but they were not removed from ministry and then they
abused again.
We have seen, since then, beginning in 2001, and the conference in 2000, and since, as
well, by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, which is overseeing the prosecution
of some of these cases that go to that level, as well as giving norms in general, and dealing
with those, and, you know, proving those that were put forth by the US bishops, that there
has been much done that was good.
Now, it has to continue.
You can always have ways to improve it.
Will it always be foolproof?
No, but there should be—there are many safeguards that are in place in dioceses across the country
for this very reason, so that there are no more children that are sexually abused by
clergy—or by anybody, for that matter, in the name of the Church, working at a parish
or working in a diocesan chancery, whatever the case; those who have access in the name
of the Church to minors, young people.
Particularly those who are below adolescence, but adolescents up till legal age of 18 as
well.
Sometimes people say, “Well, 17 might be a little different,” but a minor is a minor,
right?
And we need to protect our children.
So it’s actually been going on for….well, the most recent thing—I mean, the Church
has tried to be vigilant over the years, over the centuries, but since this bigger scandal
broke out, and particularly in Boston was the epicenter, that the Church has been doing
much and continues to do so, and I think we will continue to see vigilance.
There’s been some questions about what’s going on, and some laity just resigned from
the Pope’s board, and I’m sure we’re gonna get closer analysis of that as to what’s
going to be done or what’s not being done, there’s back and forth there.
But there’s no doubt at all, Eddie, that we can say that a lot has been done.
And for those who might put the Church down and say, “Oh, look at your Church,” it’s
like, well, quite frankly, as Bill Dowdy has pointed out, the rate is slightly lower among
Catholics vs. non-Catholic ministers, and definitely significantly lower than in the
public schools—although it’s much more difficult to get a prosecution in the public
schools.
And often times you’ll see, too, people will say, “They’re opposing this bill,”
and “statue of limitations,” and “Why should the Church let these—remove the statue
of limitations?”
It’s like, well gee, if it were being equitably applied to the public school teachers as well
as to Catholic school teachers, or to Catholic ministers as well as other, you know, people
including public school teachers—that’d be one thing.
But often times, it is being inequitably applied, and that’s itself unjust and wrong.
So for those who want to put down the Church, it’s like, well, again, this is wrong, and
any of this stuff should never have happened.
But the Church, ultimately, is founded by Christ and is sustained by Christ; if it were
a purely human institution, it’d have been out of business many centuries ago.
So we are trying to be vigilant and true to our teaching by dealing with this, and most
recently for the last, oh, 16 years now.