UNITED STATES
National Catholic Register
COMMENTARY
by BISHOP JAMES CONLEY 09/11/2015
The Catholic Church is a supernatural community, united together in Christ Jesus, protected and sustained by the Holy Spirit. But the Church is also a community of human beings, of ordinary people, who are capable of great love, and of great sinfulness.
Sin — especially the most grave sins — can have profoundly hurtful consequences for other people, and for the community of the Church. The laws and policies of the Church help to ensure safety and freedom, particularly for children, and for those most vulnerable to being harmed.
Since they were passed in 2002 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States and approved by the Holy See, the Diocese of Lincoln has followed a set of Church laws called the “Essential Norms for Diocesan/Eparchial Policies Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests or Deacons.” These norms are concerned with ensuring that child abuse has no place in the Church — that there is no room for it to take place, and that is not tolerated, under any circumstances, if it does take place. The Lincoln Diocese has also participated in most of the recommendations of the voluntary Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which is published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as a guide for bishops to help maintain safe environments in the Church. Additionally, the Diocese of Lincoln observes every civil law regarding child abuse protection and reporting.
Among the recommendations of the USCCB’s Charter is that every diocese be audited each year to ensure that it has done all it can to help create safe environments. The purpose of the audit is accountability. It is not intended to be punitive or invasive, but instead to help dioceses create safe environments. The Diocese of Lincoln voluntarily participated in the audit when it first began in 2003. At that time, the process was still being worked out and it needed refinements. Legitimate questions were raised about its purpose and methodology. For that reason, the Diocese of Lincoln elected not to participate in subsequent audits. I believe that was a prudent decision.
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