MAINE
Portland Press Herald
By KEVIN WACK, Portland Press Herald Writer
Roman Catholic bishops and priests will soon begin inspecting U.S. theological schools to look for evidence of homosexuality.
The upcoming visits, which grew out of the priest sex abuse scandal, have fueled discussion in Maine and across the country about whether the Vatican is responding appropriately to the crisis.
Some liberal Catholics, who hold the church's hierarchy responsible for the scandal, think the review is part of an effort to shift blame to gay priests.
"The bishops of the church have never taken responsibility for their role in the sex abuse crisis," said Francis DeBernardo, who runs a Maryland ministry that works to spread acceptance of gay Catholics. "Almost from the very beginning, they have tried to blame the crisis on homosexuality in the priesthood."