BishopAccountability.org
	Louisville Group Calls for Bishop's Removal By Peter Smith psmith@courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal April 4, 2006 http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20060404/NEWS01/60404015/1008 A Louisville group of reform-minded Catholics is calling for the resignation of Chicago Cardinal Francis George for allowing a priest to stay in ministry last year after a sexual-abuse allegation. The Louisville affiliate of Voice of the Faithful — a national group of lay Catholics seeking structural change in the church in the wake of the abuse crisis — issued the statement Tuesday. It noted that bishops adopted a zero-tolerance policy over sexual abuse in 2002, requiring that accused priests be removed temporarily pending investigations and that confirmed abusers be removed permanently. Shannon Whelan, a member of the local group, said it seeks to work with bishops. But she said members at the Louisville affiliate's meeting last week were unanimous that George should resign. Outside auditors reported last month that the Archdiocese of Chicago failed in multiple ways to monitor the Rev. Daniel McCormack, who stayed in ministry until he was charged in January with abuse, even though the archdiocese knew of at least one allegation months earlier. Other allegations date back to his seminary days, but the archdiocese did a poor job making connections because of faulty judgment, communication and record keeping, the auditors said. McCormack is now charged with abusing three boys. "People are just absolutely disgusted by how that was handled," Whelan said. The group is calling for George to resign immediately, to minister to victims of sexual abuse and be a "prophetic voice" holding other bishops accountable for preventing abuse. In a statement last month, Cardinal George accepted responsibility for "the tragedy of allowing children to be in the presence of a priest against whom an accusation of sexual abuse had been made." Some other reform groups have called on George to step down either temporarily or permanently. But George's spokesman, Jim Dwyer, said Tuesday that the cardinal would not resign. "He's admitted over and over again our inadequacies in responding to that, and we're taking actions to correct it," Dwyer said. "He already has spearheaded a whole variety of reforms we're enacting to correct those inadequacies and make sure an inadequate response to an allegation never happens again." Reporter Peter Smith can be reached at (502) 582-4469.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.