UNITED STATES
Orlando Sentinel
By A. E. P. Wall | Special to the Sentinel
Posted June 21, 2005
Nobody was surprised when the nation's Catholic bishops voted last week to renew policies that permanently yank from ministry any priest they believe guilty of sexual abuse. There was little resistance, but Bishop Edward Hughes of Metuchen, N.J., was quoted by Margaret Ramirez, religion reporter for the Chicago Tribune:
"I am concerned about what effect this new reaffirmation will have on our priests. Not just those who have offended, but all priests. Many are anxious and uncertain and still believing an accusation is tantamount to being judged guilty."
The bishops rejected notions of due process and forgiveness. They continued, however, to recite the words of the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive."
On the same day that the bishops were meeting in Chicago, a father was released from the nearby Will County jail. Kevin Fox, 28, had been held seven months, accused of sexually assaulting and murdering his 3-year-old daughter. He had renounced a false confession, but was kept in jail until DNA evidence proved that someone else had committed the crime.
The Fox family has filed a lawsuit claiming that Kevin Fox's civil rights were violated and that he was coerced by police to make a false confession.