of Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse by priests, English translations of the liturgy, religious
life, health care reform, and the age of confirmation were among the topics
discussed by the U.S. bishops at their Spring 1993 meeting in New Orleans.
All of the bishops are aware of the seriousness of the problem of sexual abuse
by clergy, according to Archbishop William H. Keeler, president of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). "We have discussed it
every year for the last five years," he said, although this was the first
time the bishops talked about it in an public session. |
Archbishop Keeler announced the establishment of an ad hoc NCCB committee
on sexual abuse to advise the conference on what it can do to assist the
bishops in dealing with priests who sexually abuse minors and in "repairing
the tragic spiritual, physical and emotional harm done by priests." The
committee has been asked to examine what the conference can do to help
bishops screen candidates for ministry.
The committee was established in response to recommendations made by
an ad hoc "think tank" of 31 experts and victims who met in St. Louis at
the invitation of the bishops' conference. The think tank made a series
of recommendations on care of victims, prevention, and the possibility
of reassignment of recovering priests to ministry.
The task force called for pastoral care for victims, including financial
aid to pay for appropriate mental health costs. Where conflicts arise between
the rights of the victims and the perpetrators, church leaders should err
on guaranteeing the rights of victims, said the report. Bishop Joseph L.
Imesch of Joliet complained that bishops are often prevented by diocesan
attorneys and by the attorneys for plaintiffs from contacting victims,
even when they want to reach out pastorally.
On and off the floor, bishops expressed anguish over the harm that has
been done by abusive priests and the errors bishops made in the past of
simply assigning these priests to another parish after their crime. The
bishops assert that this is no longer happening, but victim groups complain
that some perpetrators are still in active ministry.
Although the think tank would not bar all priest molesters, without
exception, from future ministry, it said they should never return to any
ministry that includes minors. Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia
responded that the presumption must be against return to any ministry because
of the danger to future victims.
The think tank also called for standardized and improved methods of
screening candidates for the priesthood. "We are concerned that dioceses
and religious orders may be experiencing pressures to accept less qualified
candidates for the priesthood and religious life due to declining numbers
of applicants," the report said. Canice Connors, OFM Conv., a member of
the think tank noted that "a marginal candidate can be appropriately rejected
by one diocese or congregation and find entrance into a formation program
in another." National minimum standards would prevent seminary "hopping."
Father Connors, president of St. Luke, a treatment center in Maryland,
also called for research into the archival data on the evaluation and treatment
of priests at the three major treatment centers for clergy in North America.
He said that these perpetrators average ten victims each. He noted that
less than 10 percent of the priests treated in these centers are true pedophiles
who are attracted to pre-pubescent children. Most are ephebophiles, attracted
to post-pubescent children. Although he would not speak of curing this
addiction, "We are accumulating stories of successful recovery from sexual
addictions extending over eight to ten years of sexual sobriety," he said.
Scientific research and publication of this data would be helpful not only
in the treatment of priests but of others in society.
The chair of the new committee on sexual abuse, Bishop John F. Kenney
of Bismarck, said that the shock and outrage felt by people over sexual
abuse in the church is not because of the violation of the church's moral
teaching on sexuality. "Our people understand clearly the clay feet of
ministers of the church," he said. Rather "Victims, their families and
friends have felt betrayed by those they trusted and who were given to
them in authority. And then once abused and betrayed, some in authority
did not listen to their cries for help or were perceived as not hearing
them."
Bishop Kenney told the bishops that they will be required to do "uncomfortable
listening, nationally, as well as back home" in order "to lance the boil
for the health and credibility of the church in our country."
ICEL has been accused of following a feminist ideology in its new translations
although in most cases it is simply returning to a more faithful translation
using "Lord" and "God" for Domine and Deus rather than "Father."
"Father" is still used as a translation for Pater. After the session
most bishops acknowledged that the new translations they studied were more
accurate and more suited for vocal prayer.
Some bishops sill complain that they are not involved more as the translations
are being developed. Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, the NCCB representative
to ICEL, responded that he had written all the bishops asking them if they
wanted to be provided with the draft texts as they were produced. Only
45 of the 259 bishops responded in the affirmative, and of those only ten
sent in comments after receiving the texts. Thus the bishops like to complain
about not being consulted, but when offered the opportunity to review the
texts they are unwilling to do the work.
The bishops also voted to ask Rome for permission to develop two new
Eucharistic prayers that could be used with already existing prefaces,
as Eucharistic prayers two and three are currently. Rome may also approve
a Eucharistic prayer developed by the Swiss for use in the universal church.
It has already been approved for use in Spanish.
In the future, the bishops may also consider additional options including
rearranging the introductory rites, kneeling for the penitential rite,
moving the sign of peace to the conclusion of the liturgy of the word,
using the Canticle of the Lamb from the Book of Revelation as an alternate
hymn to the Gloria during the Easter season, and, if the people
desire, praying the Lord's prayer with hands extended. Since all these
items would have to be studied and approved by the bishops and then approved
by Rome, it is unlikely any of these changes will appear in parishes before
the next millennium.
The bishops also voted to have confirmation conferred between the ages
of 7 and 18 on Catholics baptized as children. This wide range was necessary
because of the differing practices around the country. A few bishops argued
that as a sacrament of initiation it should occur before Eucharist and
penance, most seemed comfortable with the pastoral practice of confirmation
at a later date even if they have difficulty explaining it historically
or theologically.
Archbishop Francis Stafford of Denver and others expressed concern about
the decline in the number of Catholics being confirmed. He said that the
number confirmed in Denver had gone down from 9,000 a year in the 1960's,
to 3,000 now even though the Catholic population has risen. Bishop Emil
Wcela of Rockville Centre noted that there are half as many confirmations
recorded in the National Catholic Directory as baptisms.
The bishops also spent more than half a day discussing religious life
in the United States to help bishops understand and improve their relations
with religious congregations and to help the bishops prepare for the 1994
synod of bishops on religious life. Both bishops and religious participating
in the discussions called for more dialogue and trust between bishops and
religious. Some bishops were especially concerned about the impact of feminism
on religious life.
As a major provider of health care (600 Catholic hospitals and 1,500
health care facilities), the bishops argued that the church has much to
say on the issue. They are also concerned that these institutions be treated
fairly in any program. But the bishops especially stressed the moral dimension
of health care, both as a pro-life issue and as a justice issue. "Health
care is more than a commodity; it is a basic human right, an essential
safeguard of human life and dignity," the resolution argued.
Although the bishops were primarily concerned with internal church issues
during this meeting, they were also able to approve an ethical framework
for comprehensive health care reform that will allow the bishops to be
significant contributors to the policy debate going on in the United States
today.
By Thomas J. Reese, S.J., senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center
America, July 16, 1993
Copyright © 1993 by America
Press
All rights reserved
Liturgy
The bishops also heard a report on the work of the International Commission
on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). The commission is responsible for translating
and developing new liturgical texts. It is currently working on a new version
of the sacramentary, the prayers used during the Sunday and weekday Eucharist.
The current translation was rushed through after Vatican II, and ICEL is
trying to improve it.
Health Care Reform
Finally, the bishops tackled a major public policy issue, health care reform.
In a unanimously approved resolution the bishops said they would oppose
funding abortion or euthanasia in any government health care plan. The
resolution also insisted that special priority be given to meeting the
needs of the poor and to providing universal access to comprehensive health
care for everyone living in the United States. Such a plan should be financed
in an equitable fashion, based on ability to pay.
See also