Pope Francis received president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) today, Sept. 13.
The audience took place at noon in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. Along with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, was Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, who heads the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the Secretary-General of the USCCB, Msgr. Bransfield.
The meeting came in the wake of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on abuse in six dioceses, the resignation of Archbishop Theodore from the College of Cardinals, and the recent letter by Archbishop Vigano.
Cardinal DiNardo on August 27, 2018, renewed the organization’s August 1, 2018, commitment to address the many questions around Archbishop McCarrick. He also repeated the August 16, 2018, proposal for an Apostolic Visitation.
The renewed commitment came in a written statement issued by Cardinal DeNardo on behalf of the USCCB.
“In communion with the Holy Father, I join the Executive Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in taking upon ourselves his exhortation, ‘this open wound [of abuse] challenges us to be firm and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice,’ Cardinal DeNardo said.
“The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò brings particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.”
“In communion with the Holy Father, I join the Executive Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in taking upon ourselves his exhortation, ‘this open wound [of abuse] challenges us to be firm and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice,’ Cardinal DeNardo said.
“The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò brings particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers, innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to repeat sins of the past.”
Following the encounter, Cardinal DiNardo issued the following statement on the website of the USCCB. The Vatican has not released information other than that the encounter took place:
***
President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Issues Statement Following Meeting with Pope Francis
September 13, 2018
VATICAN CITY—Following a private audience with Pope Francis this morning in Vatican City, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement regarding the recent moral crisis in the American Catholic Church.
«We are grateful to the Holy Father for receiving us in audience. We shared with Pope Francis our situation in the United States — how the Body of Christ is lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse. He listened very deeply from the heart. It was a lengthy, fruitful, and good exchange.
As we departed the audience, we prayed the Angelus together for God’s mercy and strength as we work to heal the wounds. We look forward to actively continuing our discernment together identifying the most effective next steps.»
[Courtesy of the website of the USCCB]
VATICAN CITY—Following a private audience with Pope Francis this morning in Vatican City, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement regarding the recent moral crisis in the American Catholic Church.
«We are grateful to the Holy Father for receiving us in audience. We shared with Pope Francis our situation in the United States — how the Body of Christ is lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse. He listened very deeply from the heart. It was a lengthy, fruitful, and good exchange.
As we departed the audience, we prayed the Angelus together for God’s mercy and strength as we work to heal the wounds. We look forward to actively continuing our discernment together identifying the most effective next steps.»
[Courtesy of the website of the USCCB]
