CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Sun-Times
October 4, 2005
BY MICHAEL SNEED SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
Illinois Appellate Court Justice Anne Burke, who on Monday night received the U.S. Catholic Award for Furthering the Cause of Women in the Church, tells Sneed she is very concerned about the future of the laity in the church.
"It wasn't until the worst crisis in the history of the church hit did the church hierarchy come to the laity for help," said Burke, who was the head of the national review board charged with investigating the clergy sex abuse crisis.
"It was when they were pushed to the wall that they [bishops] came to us to get out of it, and now I'm afraid they are retreating," Burke said. "The role of the laity in the church is very important and we must remain vigilant."