CHICAGO (IL)
L.A. Daily News
By Monica Davey, The New York Times
CHICAGO -- The nation's Roman Catholic bishops voted overwhelmingly on Friday to continue barring abusive priests from public ministry, part of a set of policies written three years ago as the church was engulfed in its abuse scandal.
Agreeing to extend for five years what has become known as a "zero tolerance" rule, the bishops also voted to spend up to $1 million to help pay for a study to look at why and how the sexual abuse of children occurred. The study is widely expected to cost far more, perhaps $5 million, but church officials said they intended to seek outside money from foundations and other sources.
In 2002, the bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms under extremely tense circumstances and after months of accusations against priests for abuse and against clergy leaders that they were aware of the abuse but did little about it.
At a meeting here on Friday, the debate was swifter, and the written ballot votes lopsided, 229-3 in support of the norms and 228-4 in favor of the charter.