Bishop Speaks on Removed Priest and Birth Control

WGRZ
February 9, 2012

www.wgrz.com/news/article/154763/1/Bishop-Speaks-On-Removed-Priest-And-Birth-Control


[with video]

BUFFALO, NY -- Two On Your Side had a chance to sit down with the leader of Buffalo's Catholic flock to talk about some big issues the church is dealing with at the local and national level. Bishop Edward Kmiec gave us his thoughts on why the church is balking at a mandate forcing the church to offer birth control, as well as his comments on sex abuse allegations against a Buffalo priest.

As devout clergy, leaders and volunteers, gathered for a workshop for Catholic Charities Appeal 2012, Bishop Kmiec sat down with 2 On Your Side's Melissa Holmes to discuss a couple of the issues on the minds of area Catholics. First, Father Secondo Casarotto.

Reporter: We haven't heard from you yet so is there anything you would like to say to parishioners on this matter?

Bishop Kmiec: To all the people? Certainly we would ask prayers for Father Secondo. Certainly we want to very much apologize to any victim because apparently now there are two. We want to apologize to the victims for what has happened there.

The diocese removed Father Secondo from St. Anthony of Padua church last month after a woman came forward with allegations of alleged abuse in 2009. Her story prompted a second alleged victim to come forward. She accused Secondo of inappropriate behavior in 2008 and said the Diocese did nothing about it. The Diocese has admitted its employee did not handle her complaint properly. Father Secondo hasn't been charged and is in Italy as the Scalibrinian Fathers investigate the allegation.

Bishop Kmiec: We will try to communicate with the Order to find out a little bit more what they have been able to find. And I think he has an attorney so we'll see if anything comes up in that regard.

Reporter: Are you concerned that with the scandal surrounding Father Secondo some parishioners may be a little disenchanted and not so willing to give to Catholic Charities this year?

Bishop Kmiec: I think that would be hard to gage. The work of the church must go on. This would be ill-advised if people said 'Father did bad and therefore I'm not going to help other people.' That's bad logic.

We're also hearing from the Bishop himself for the first time on the escalating battle over President Obama's rule for contraception coverage in health insurance plans at Catholic Institutions.

Bishop Kmiec: It's a question of religious liberty.

It forces employers including religiously affiliated schools and hospitals to cover all FDA-approved contraceptives, including the morning after pill.

Reporter: You've said you won't comply, but are you willing to compromise at all? No. Not really. We'll take this to where we have to take this.

And that could mean all the way to court.

Bishop Kmiec: It's a possibility but it is part of the ObamaCare Law and therefore as a law we can challenge it in the courts...This would force us to do something that's against our moral conscience, against the tenets of our faith and our morality and therefore we need to speak up.

Reporter: Do you think the president is grandstanding in this election year?

Bishop Kmiec: He's running for office. He wants to come back.