In a press conference in the cathedral's basement auditorium, Hart read from a prepared statement that was distributed at the door and then took questions from the press and his parishioners.

Bishop Hart

Calling the bishops' conference "unprecedented," Hart said, "it was the most serious meeting of bishops I have attended. It was intense and emotional. It dealt with a crisis in the Church. And we bishops were at the center of that crisis."

He described speaking there with the victims of sexual abuse, and said that they made it clear "where they felt the blame was to be placed: on bishops who did not protect them from the abusing priest.

"I join with my brother bishops in apologizing for the hurt inflicted on all victim-survivors of sexual abuse by priests and bishops," Hart said. "I am saddened by this and I ask forgiveness."

Hart said that he believes the Norwich diocese has had a good sexual misconduct policy since 1994, but that the new charter adopted by the bishops is stricter. He said he is fully committed to following the new charter.

He also said, "I am not aware today of any priest on active duty who is a danger to a child." Hart listed changes to diocesan policy as a result of the new charter:

A person will be appointed to reach out to victims and their families. Hart said he hoped that person would work with service agencies "so that an array of services can be made available" to help them.

When sexual abuse by a priest or deacon is admitted or established, the offending priest or deacon will be permanently removed from the ministry.

Under the charter adopted last week, any priest who has ever abused a child, no matter when, may no longer be a pastor or chaplain in a parish, school, hospital or nursing home.

And while he won't be defrocked, he "is to lead a life of prayer and penance. He will not be permitted to celebrate Mass publicly, to wear clerical garb, or to present himself publicly as a priest."

The bishops also agreed that they would alert civil authorities to all accusations of sexual abuse of a minor by any member of the clergy, something Hart said the diocese has already had a policy of doing.

Hart said the diocese would cooperate fully with the Office for Children and Youth Protection and the National Review Board created to monitor compliance with the charter.

The charter also calls upon every diocese to appoint a review board, mostly of lay people, to hear accusations of abuse and make recommendations to the bishops on what action to take. While the diocese already has such a board in place, some changes will be made to the responsibilities of its members, Hart said.

"The diocese is already discussing a 'safe environment' program," Hart said, "which will be used in schools and religious education programs ... to teach children about sexual abuse."

Also, "we will review our screening ... techniques" for candidates for the seminary and the priesthood, he said.

"The crisis we face demands that we increase our vigilance," Hart said. "This will prevent those few who might exploit the priesthood for their own immoral and criminal purposes from doing so."

When Hart opened up the floor to questions, there were many parishioners who stood up to voice their support of the bishop and the church and to bash the media for its coverage of the scandal.

"I've been pained by the news," said one. "But also, I protest the way the news media has handled this news." This was met with loud applause.

"Bishop, somebody asked me the other day who's going to take your place when you retire," said another. "What was the answer?" asked Hart, to laughter.

"Only a crazy person would take your place."

But many parishioners had serious and even technical questions about how things were going to work.

Dorothy Gale of St. Catherine's parish in Preston got up to read a statement in which she pleaded for the church to open itself up to the laity.

While she was pleased by the efforts of the bishops to deal with the crisis, Gale said, "There is a need to include all the people of God in our decision-making."

Others were critical of the bishops' response.

"Has the diocese ever paid out any money to settle sexual abuse cases?" asked Jim Griffin of Lyme. "I've been here six and a half years," Hart said, "and the diocese has never made any settlements." "What about insurance? Has insurance been used to pay for settlements?"

"I don't know about that," Hart said.

"Are the bishops doing anything to go after the bishops" who allowed priests to prey on children? Griffin asked.

"No, we did not get into that," Hart said. "This is not something we had the authority to deal with. This would be something the Holy Father would have to deal with."

"Nonsense!" said Griffin.

Asked whether he thought the problem of attrition in the priesthood might be dealt with by allowing women to be priests or priests to marry, Hart said simply, "No, I don't" to a big round of applause.

Asked the reason for celibacy, Hart explained it is a tradition of the church and that it has the practical purpose of "giving an example of the primacy of God in our lives."

Others asked why priests found guilty of molesting minors were not to be defrocked. Hart explained that it is a "cumbersome" process and that bishops have established a committee to come up with an "abbreviated" process.

Asked if he, in asking forgiveness, considered himself guilty, Hart said, "I don't personally, no. But I take blame as a bishop."

To heal "the deep wound inflicted upon his holy people," Hart said, "acts of reparation are needed for the grave offense to God." He said the bishops had declared Aug. 14 to be a day of fasting and sacrifice and Aug. 15 a day of prayer.

"Last April, at the cardinals' meeting in Rome, Pope John Paul II quoted the words of St. Paul: 'Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.'

"May this word of faith," Hart said, "help us to overcome evil with good."

k.robinson@theday.com