April 10, 2006

Church structures 'may have added to abuse'

IRELAND
Irish Independent

John Cooney
Religious Affairs Correspondent

BISHOPS and the Vatican have been challenged by a leading Irish theologian to review church structures that may have contributed to child sex abuse by clergy.

He has called for a look at how the compulsory celibacy of priests and the unaccountability of bishops may have been part of the problem.

And he has put forward a series of proposals that he says should be implemented in dealing with complaints against the clergy.

Writing in the theological journal The Furrow, Fr Bill Cosgrave says it is unsurprising that some bishops are of the opinion that the relationship between priests and their bishops have been damaged by the manner in which accused priests have been dealt with.

Fr Cosgrave put forward five proposals to the bishops for the establishment of just procedures in a secretive and hierarchical system of church governance.

Posted by kshaw at April 10, 2006 12:23 AM