CHICAGO (IL)
Herald-Tribune
By RACHEL ZOLL
AP Religion Writer
CHICAGO -- America's Roman Catholic bishops have voted overwhelmingly to continue permanently barring abusive priests from church work, despite deep misgivings about the policy written at the height of the clergy sex abuse scandal.
Friday's vote by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops means the American church will stick with the main points of the discipline plan it adopted in 2002 for the next five years. The Vatican is expected to approve the extension.
Some prelates believe the plan violates Catholic teaching on redemption - that any sinner can be healed - and treats every case equally no matter the severity.
Chicago Cardinal Francis George, a leader in reviewing the plan with Vatican officials, went as far as calling the ban "draconian." But he said the penalty was necessary to restore trust in church leadership.
Posted by kshaw at June 18, 2005 07:28 AM