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Press Release
ARCC to Vatican: Leave
Us Alone
October 18, 2002
It took an international scandal in the
priesthood for the Vatican to begin paying attention to the concept of Due
Process, as seen in its rejection of the Dallas charter on clergy sex abuse.
ARCC welcomes this effort by the Church’s leaders in this important area
of human rights. We urge these leaders to extend the eventual norms for due
process to all areas of Church life.
The appointment by the Vatican of a “mixed
commission” to review the Charter drafted by the United States’ Bishops is
a disappointment.The eight positions
on this commission are to be staffed by bishops.
There is not a layperson in sight.
ARCC has consistently urged that laywomen and men be appointed to all commissions
dealing with the sex abuse scandal.
If the Vatican will not lead the way in this exercise of equality and collegiality,
why should the bishops of the world?
A major flaw
in the original Dallas charter was the lack of acknowledgement of the culpability
of bishops who have covered up the crimes of the convicted abusers.
The Vatican response also ignores this serious situation.
We regret
that the bishops of the United States feel that they must go hat in hand
to the Vatican to get “approval” for a policy to be implemented in the local
church.Once the formation of sound
commissions in each diocese takes place, ARCC considers that the Catholic
Church in the United States is quite capable of handling this affair. This
is called subsidiarity. In addition, given the growing evidence of habitual
cover-up of abuse throughout the universal church, ARCC urges the Vatican
to direct every diocese worldwide to establish a sex-abuse commission consisting
of both non-ordained and ordained.
The victims
of convicted pedophiles are owed justice at every level. This must happen
without delay. At the same time the rights of accused priests must not be
violated.ARCC urges the bishops of
the United States to take the recommendations of the Vatican under advisement,
consider the criticisms of the Catholics of the United States and then come
together at the next general meeting in November to clean up the Charter
so that it is a true reflection of the wisdom of all the People of God.
For further
contact:
Mary Louise Hartman
President 609-921-9134
mlhmls@aol.com |
John Sheehan
National Coordinator 413-527-9929
arccangel@charter.net
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ARCC is a 501-c3 non-profit international
organization dedicated to achieving substantive structural change in the
Roman Catholic Church. It works to implement an identified body of
rights that every Catholic has from Baptism and membership in the human community.
ARCC works for a more collegial church structure, which affirms these rights
through accountability and shared decision-making.
Link to USCCB Website of June 2002 Bishops' Meeting
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