Cardinal reaffirms child protection pledge as documents release

Last updated on: January 22, 2014 at 7:04 am by CNA Daily News

Cardinal reaffirms child protection pledge as documents release 2014-01-22T07:04:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Chicago, Ill., Jan 22, 2014 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Responding to the release of documents about Chicago priests accused of abusing minors over the past 50 years, Cardinal Francis George has apologized to victims and reaffirmed that no accused priests are presently serving in ministry.

“We realize the information included in these documents is upsetting. It is painful to read. It is not the Church we know or the Church we want to be,” Chicago archbishop Cardinal George said Jan. 21. “The archdiocese sincerely apologizes for the hurt and suffering of the victims and their families as a result of this abuse.”

The cardinal said the archdiocese hopes that the documents’ release and the work of its Office for the Protection of Children and Youth can help abuse victims heal.

The documents – which were released as a condition of a 2005 legal settlement – concern 30 Archdiocese of Chicago priests.

Attorney Jeff Anderson, who claims to have won more than $60 million from the U.S. Catholic Church in clerical sex-abuse lawsuits, first received the released files. His office then culled them and posted them online.

Anderson’s office said four of the priests have been criminally convicted of abuse of minors. His office accused the archdiocese of placing priests back in ministry despite them posing a danger to minors.

Cardinal George said that 95 percent of the cases contained in the sex abuse documents occurred before 1988.

“Today, no priest with even one substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor serves in the Archdiocese of Chicago,” he said.

“The abuse of any child is a crime and a sin,” he continued. “The archdiocese encourages anyone who has been sexually abused by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee to come forward.”

Cardinal George has previously said that most of the accused priests were either dead or out of ministry before he arrived in Chicago in 1997. The incidents were reported to civil authorities and legal claims have been mediated. The cardinal has said that he removed those who had been allowed to continue in public ministry before his arrival.

In his Jan. 21 statement, the cardinal discussed the Catholic Church’s past handling of abuse accusations. He said that some leaders of the archdiocese “made some decisions decades ago that are now difficult to justify” according to “the prevailing knowledge of that time.”

“In the past 40 years, society has evolved in dealing with matters related to abuse,” Cardinal George added. “Our understanding of and response to domestic violence, sexual harassment, date rape, and clerical sexual abuse have undergone significant change and so has the Archdiocese of Chicago.”

“While we complied with the reporting laws in place at the time, the Church and its leaders have acknowledged repeatedly that they wished they had done more and done it sooner, but now are working hard to regain trust, to reach out to victims and their families, and to make certain that all children and youth are protected.”

The cardinal said that all reports of sex abuse are referred to civil authorities “immediately.” The archdiocese’s Independent Review Board also examines the results of investigations into allegations and makes recommendations to the archbishop about an accused priest’s fitness for ministry and the safety of children.

The Archdiocese of Chicago has paid about $100 million to settle sex abuse allegations against priests, the New York Times reports.

The names of archdiocesan priests known to have abused a minor are published on the archdiocese’s website, Cardinal George said. He stressed that the archdioceses is concerned “first and foremost” with helping abuse victims heal and has run its victim assistance ministry for over 25 years.

He also pointed to background check efforts and abuse prevention programs now running in the archdiocese.

Earlier this month, in a letter to the Catholic faithful of Chicago, the cardinal said the document release can benefit child protection efforts.

“Painful though publicly reviewing the past can be, it is part of the accountability and transparency to which the Archdiocese is committed,” he said. “Accountability to the civil authorities constitutionally responsible for the protection of children is part of the life of the Church here.”

Previous Post

January 22, 2014

March for Life is important witness of unity, advocate says

Next Post

January 22, 2014 Burmese bishop sees 'new dawn' of hope for his nation

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book follows the Gospels in the New Testament?

Select your answer to see how you score.

1 Corinthians Romans Hebrews Acts