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	Erie's Catholic Bishop to Meet with Others in Seattle By Dana Massing Erie Times-News June 11, 2011 http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110611/LIFESTYLES03/306109903/-1/LIFESTYLES Erie Catholic Bishop Donald W. Trautman is heading to Seattle to meet with other members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Their annual Spring General Assembly will run Wednesday through Friday. "There are a number of key items on the agenda," Trautman said. One will be revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Adopted in 2002 in response to the clergy sex abuse crisis, the charter was previously revised in 2005. The latest proposal would bring the charter into line with the most recent Vatican instructions, according to a news release from the conference. Changes would include "specifically mentioning child pornography as a crime against church law and holding that abuse of someone who habitually lacks reason, for example, someone with mental retardation, is equivalent to child abuse," according to the release. A recent study by researchers at John Jay College of Criminal Justice examined why the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests occurred as it did. Researchers concluded that there was no single cause or predictor of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. The study also found that few offenders were pedophiles, they were not acting on their homosexuality and mandatory celibacy didn't turn them into molesters. The study was one of several authorized by the bishops since the sex-abuse scandal erupted. Another topic the bishops will tackle at their meeting is physician-assisted suicide. Bishops will vote on "To Live Each Day with Dignity," a document that cites both the Catholic Church's concern for people tempted to commit suicide and the Church's opposition to physician-assisted suicide. The statement says that physician-assisted suicide doesn't promote compassion because its focus is not on eliminating suffering, but on eliminating the patient, according to a news release. The draft also speaks of the importance of life-affirming palliative care. Trautman said he believes the document covers the topic well and he doesn't anticipate many negative reactions to it among the bishops. "I think the document is fine," he said. However, Trautman declined to say in advance how he would vote on it or any other item to come before the bishops. "I always like to keep my vote to myself until I hear the full discussion on the floor," he said. Also on the agenda are: - A presentation on the conference's Defense of Marriage efforts, including a Spanish- language video. - A report on the Vatican guideline for allowing communities of Anglicans to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. - A report on the evaluation of national collections. - Discussion of the bishops' call to political responsibility. DANA MASSING can be reached at 870-1729 or by e-mail. Contact: dana.massing@timesnews.com
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