TEXAS
The Dallas Morning News
12:00 AM CDT on Friday, April 28, 2006
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court rebuffed Cardinal Roger Mahony's attempt to keep secret the files about Los Angeles priests accused of sexually abusing kids. Thank God the court had more good sense than the church. How could anyone possibly believe that the right course of action was to keep such information secret?
Perhaps leaders at the Baptist General Convention of Texas could explain such bizarre thinking. They, too, keep a confidential list of individuals who are reported by a church for sexual misconduct, including ministers who are accused of sexually abusing kids.
By written policy, the Baptist Convention places a minister's name in that file only if the report is made by a church and only if there is a confession, a conviction or "substantial evidence that the abuse took place." A Baptist brochure refers to it as the file of "known offenders."
Posted by kshaw at April 28, 2006 07:58 AM