NEW HAMPSHIRE
Concord Monitor
By: Monitor editorial
The fate of the youngest members of the Roman Catholic Church in New Hampshire is now in the hands of parishioners. The leadership of the Diocese of Manchester remains in denial about its history of child sex abuse by priests and its responsibility to ensure that more children won't be scarred for life.
In 2002, the state cut a deal with the diocese: It would not prosecute officials who covered up for the child molesters in church ranks if the diocese took major steps to prevent abuse in the future. Part of that agreement called for an audit of the church's compliance.
The first audit was delayed by the diocese's objections to paying for it and to the terms of it. The audit's results were made public last week. They show that the church failed to keep its end of the bargain in many ways.
The diocese has made progress, but its claims that it has fully complied with the agreement are false. Here are just some of the deficiencies Attorney General Kelly Ayotte cited before giving the church 30 days to correct them or face court action.
Posted by kshaw at April 3, 2006 12:21 PM