WASHINGTON (DC)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Monday, November 14, 2005
By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The U.S. Catholic bishops will hold most of this week's 31/2 day meeting behind closed doors.
While long executive sessions and closed retreats have been common at their smaller June meetings, their major meeting each November in Washington, D.C., has normally had one half-day executive session.
The lengthy closed session worries some advocates of accountability.
"Whatever became of all those pledges to be more open and transparent?" said David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "I would have hoped that, out of respect for Catholic lay people if nothing else, they would conduct less of their business behind closed doors."
Russell Shaw, a former communications director for the bishops, believes they have done "pretty well" at discussing sexual abuse in public, but that other topics have been taken more and more behind closed doors.