May 03, 2005

Dolan backs off priest monitoring

MILWAUKEE (WI)
National

By JOE FEUERHERD

Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan is not shy about admitting mistakes.

“It was ‘bassackwards!’ ” Dolan told Milwaukee priests in an April 15 e-mail, referring to implementation of two programs designed to monitor the behavior of troubled priests.

“Like the rest of you,” Dolan told the priests, “I woke up this morning to the headlines and article in the newspaper, and found myself upset. I’m perhaps even more upset than you all because I caused it!”

Dolan was referring to the archdiocese’s clergy advocacy and monitoring program (CAMP) -- an effort to supervise priests and deacons found to have abused minors -- and its “Clerical Support Initiative,” which would have subjected clergy with other serious problems, such as addiction or alcoholism, to intrusive inspections and oversight.

Following an outcry from priests and others in the archdiocese, Dolan suspended implementation of the programs.

Posted by kshaw at May 3, 2005 05:02 PM