Abuse laws not ‘softened’

  WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said on November 1 that the Vatican "did not reject or even 'soften'" the U.S. bishops' proposed norms for dealing with sex abuse allegations against priests.
  The result of the October 29-30 mixed commission meeting of Vatican and U.S. church officials in Rome "substantially confirms the decisions made at the June general meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops," Bishop Gregory said.
  Contrary to many news reports, the Holy See did not reject or even 'soften' this work," he added.
  "In fact, it is the foundation for what will become 'particular law' in the Catholic Church in the United States," if finally approved by the bishops at their November meeting in Washington and then confirmed by the Holy See, he said.
  Bishop Gregory made his comments following numerous news reports speculating that the Vatican had required major modifications in the policies and norms adopted by the U.S. bishops.

[Picture of man speaking, wearing clerical collar] Photo: CNS Bishop Gregory

  Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, said on October 31 upon his return to Chicago that in fact Vatican officials made an "enormous concession" to the U.S. bishops' concerns when they agreed to the possibility of suspending the church's statute of limitations for trying crimes on a case-by-case basis. The statute prohibits trying a cleric for the crime of sexual abuse of a minor if more than 10 years have passed since the victim of the alleged crime has turned 18.
  Its suspension would permit trials to go forward when deemed necessary even in cases where the victims are now well past the age of 28.