Catholic Sentinel
May 5, 2011
http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=34&ArticleID=15080
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| Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali |
WASHINGTON — When the U.S. bishops meet in Seattle in June, they will review implementation of the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" nearly 10 years after its 2002 passage.
They also will look at whether there was a breakdown of the system that prompted the abuse-related investigation of more than two dozen priests.
Two priests, a former priest and a former Catholic schoolteacher entered pleas of not guilty in Philadelphia to charges that included child rape.
Another priest who had been in charge of assigning those and other priests pleaded not guilty to child endangerment. In all, 26 priests have been placed on administrative leave pending an independent investigation of child sex abuse allegations against them following the release of a Philadelphia grand jury report.
Cardinal Justin Rigali stressed that placing them on leave is an interim measure and not a final determination.
Bishops' actions in Seattle will be "not so much doing a review as going back to our principal motivations in crafting the charter," said Spokane Bishop Blase Cupich.
"Well over 100 bishops have been ordained (in the United States) since 2002, so we want to make sure they are prepared and understand what the motivations were that we had," he added.
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