CHICAGO (IL)
CBS Chicago
Jay Levine
(CBS) — Pope Francis ordered a Vatican tribunal to deal with bishops who failed to protect children in a move to fill what some have called a gap in the church’s fight against sex abuse by priests.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports it’s a major step by a no-nonsense Pope, extending the zero tolerance, one strike you’re out policy toward predator priests, to those who’ve enabled them: bishops allowed to retire or step aside without formal sanctions.
“No bishop or vicar of priests or cardinal has ever been disciplined for covering up sex abuse of victims and that’s a shame,” said attorney Marc Pearlman.
Files released by the Chicago Archdiocese last year showed some auxiliary bishops had moved offenders from parish to parish, hoping treatment or a change of venue would stop them.
Several months later, the victims group SNAP took its fight to the World Court.
“What we want to see is the Vatican punish the bishops who cover up the sex crimes,” said SNAP founder Barbara Blaine.
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