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Lay Catholics Decry Weakening of Dallas Norms

November 13, 2002

Chicago, Ill., November 13, 2002--Despite the bishops' ardent protest to the contrary, the revised norms they adopted today do weaken the policies passed in Dallas. "These norms return total control and discretion in the process to each individual bishop. These are the same men who have already demonstrated through their incompetence, neglect, complicity or well-intentioned misguidance an inability to prevent proven sex offenders from continuing in church ministry," said Call To Action Co-Director, Sheila Daley.

Four of the norms' most serious problems follow:

1. Article 2A states that diocesan review boards' functions "may include advising the bishop/eparch in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors and in his determination of suitability for ministry." This language weakened the Dallas norms which read, the review boards' functions "include the assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests...the assessment will be communicated to the victim and the accused."

2. Article 8A states, "Unless the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, having been notified, calls the case to itself because of special circumstances, it will direct the bishop/eparch to proceed." According to canon lawyer, Fr. Thomas Doyle, this means that the Vatican has retained its authority to "control the process, to re-impose the shroud of pathological secrecy on cases and to apply its own procedural laws."

3. Article 8A goes on, "If the case would otherwise be barred by prescription...the bishop/eparchy shall apply to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for a derogation from the prescription...." "Prescription" refers to the statue of limitations on cases, which for the U.S. is 10 years past the victim's age of majority. This means that the Vatican has retained for itself the power to waive or not to waive the statute of limitations. And, the bishops himself can decide whether or not he even wishes to apply for a waiver.

4. Article 11 states, "The diocese/eparchy will comply with all applicable civil laws with respect to the reporting of allegations of sexual abuse of minors to civil authorities...." Twenty-four states in the union do not require clergy to report allegations of sexual abuse of minors.

"With this policy, the bishops have failed to alleviate lay Catholics' concerns about both due process and the protection of children. We, therefore, must monitor their treatment of victims and perpetrators in the future. And we must demand a full accounting of their actions from the past," said Claire Noonan, Call To Action spokeswoman.

Call To Action is a national organization of 25,000 laity, religious, priests and bishops and 40 local chapters. It advocates for reforms in the Catholic Church such as the ordination of women, optional celibacy for priests, more focus on the church's social justice teaching, and consultation with the Catholic people on church decision-making and sexuality issues. Their comprehensive web site is at www.cta-usa.org.

CONTACT: In Washington, DC: Claire Noonan, cell: (708) 606-8769 or Sheila Daley, cell: (773) 983-1030
In Chicago: Don Wedd, 773-404-0004 ext. 270, don@cta-usa.org

 

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