Former Sault Bishop Wants Big Changes

Sault Star
October 14, 2012

http://www.saultstar.com/2012/10/14/former-sault-bishop-wants-big-changes

Bishops arrive for a meeting of Roman Catholic Church leaders from around the world at the Vatican to debate how to counter rising secularism on the 50th anniversary of the momentous Second Vatican Council, on October 8, 2012 at the Vatican.

VATICAN CITY-- The Roman Catholic Church must strengthen safeguards against any further sexual abuse of children by its clergy, a Canadian bishop said in a speech to hundreds of his peers at a Vatican conference.

Bishop Brian Joseph Dunn, who was auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie for a year, also said the the role of women in the Church also needs to be expanded.

In his address to the Synod of Bishops, convened to discuss how to battle dwindling numbers of practising Catholics in the face of growing secularisation and dissent against its teachings, Dunn called on the Church to "become more authentic in our contemporary world."

Synod documents have so far largely focused on the role of external factors such as consumerism and secularism in eroding belief, and its concluding document will be scrutinised for any mention of failures within the Church itself.

Dunn said church leaders must "consider the reasons why this crisis happened" and "put into place measures which will create safe environments for children and all who are vulnerable in the faith community."

Abuse scandals have been a major challenge faced by the Catholic Church, forcing it to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation worldwide and undermining its status as a moral arbiter.

The head of the diocese of Antigonish in Eastern Canada, Dunn called on church leaders to "appreciate the depth of hurt, anger and disillusionment associated with this scandal."

Dunn also called for "a deliberate and systematic involvement and leadership of women at all levels of Church life," but stopped short of calling for a female priesthood.

The Church's opposition to women priests has proved one of its most divisive regulations.

The Vatican says it has no authority to allow the ordination of women because Jesus willingly chose only men as His apostles, while advocates of a female priesthood say He was merely conforming to the norms of His times.

Leading religious scholars have said greater integration of women into Church structures could help reduce cases of abuse, which were largely perpetrated by men.