«With the help of the very fine work of the recently established mixed commission,» Bishop Wilton Gregory said Monday at the bishops’ semiannual meeting, «we look forward to strengthening that work. As I have said repeatedly since our groundbreaking work in June, we will not step back from our compassion for those who have been harmed, or from our determination to put into place policies that will protect children.»
But he also noted: «Priests today too often are being unfairly judged by the misdeeds of other priests, men often long departed from ministry or even deceased.»
This week the bishops are considering a revised version of their norms in dealing with clerical sex-abuse. The new proposals are the result of work by a mixed commission of U.S. prelates and Vatican officials.
The full text of Bishop Gregory’s address is at www.nccbuscc.org/bishops/gregory.htm.
