CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Sun-Times
June 17, 2005
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporter
The country's Roman Catholic bishops are expected today to approve a revised version of a three-year-old policy that removes sexually abusive clergy from ministry.
Modified from its original form mostly for purposes of clarification and grammar, the updated charter renews the vow to protect children as well as the zero-tolerance policy against bishops, priests or deacons guilty of abuse.
"All the elements that were there before are still there," Cardinal Francis George said Thursday at the opening of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting at the Fairmont Chicago Hotel.
During a preliminary presentation, George said the church has kept the charter's promises, albeit "somewhat unevenly."
"It's a source of great shame for all of us," George said, referring to child abuse by priests.