Posts Tagged USCCB
U.S. Catholic bishops release annual abuse report
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on May 23, 2016
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released its 2015 annual audit report on the implementation of its Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People this past Friday, May 20, 2016. The report was not entirely complimentary of the Church’s efforts:
Audit of U.S. Catholic church shows sharp spike in sex abuse reports
By Scott Malone, Reuters
“Annual audit of reports of sexual abuse by members of the U.S. Roman Catholic clergy released on Friday (May 20) showed sharp increases in the number of new claims and in the value of settlements to victims.”
Annual report shows continued toll of clergy sex abuse crisis
By Matt Rocheleau, The Boston Globe
“The Catholic church paid $153 million in the United States last year to settle lawsuits, and fielded hundreds of new accusations, as fallout continued form the clergy sex abuse scandal exposed in the early 2000s, a new report from church leaders says.”
USCCB abuse audit warns of complacency, cites ‘room for improvement’
By Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service
“The annual report on the implementation of the U.S. bishops’ ‘Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People’ warns against complacency in dioceses, and the firm contracted to conduct audits of dioceses and parishes said there was ‘plenty of room for improvement’ in implementing two of the charter’s articles.”
Bishops’ conference releases 2015 abuse audit report
By Dennis Coday, National Catholic Reporter
“The U.S. bishops’ conference released this morning (May 20) its 13th Annual Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The report, which covers the period July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, is really two reports in one …”
Number of U.S. priests accused of sexually abusing children and numbers of persons alleging abuse
Compiled by BishopAccountability.org
“As of May 20, 2016, information published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) indicates that the conference has counted 6,528 clerics ‘not implausibly’ and ‘credibly’ accused of sexually abusing minors in the period 1950 through June 30, 2015, with several gaps. Out of a total of 116,153 priests who have worked in those years, this latest number represents 5.6% of the priests.
“This interim number is instructive. As recently as November 2002, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then in charge of all abuse cases for the Vatican, said in an interview that in the United States ‘less that 1% of priests are guilty of acts of this type.’ Meanwhile, in the few U.S. dioceses where investigations or disclosures have provided adequate data, including Boston, we are seeing rates as high as 10%. If that is ultimately found to be the percentage nationally, the total would rise to 11,615 priests accused of abuse.”
Elections at USCCB’s annual fall meeting could presage how successful Pope Francis’ Church reforms may be
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, church reform, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on November 6, 2015
USCCB elections present clear choices
The upcoming election of committee chairs by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will present the American bishops with clear choices that will indicate the direction of the conference for the next few years.
“The elections will take place at the bishops’ annual fall meeting in Baltimore, Nov. 16-19.
“Four of the candidates are clearly ‘Francis bishops,’ because they were chosen by him for their dioceses or for a special assignment.
“I am not saying that only bishops appointed by Pope Francis can be considered ‘Francis bishops,’ but it is interesting that the USCCB elections will have four Francis appointees on the ballot. Will the bishops like these candidates as much as Pope Francis does?”
By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Voice of the Faithful writes USCCB’s NRB about distress at Bishop Finn ordinations
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Voice of the Faithful on May 13, 2015
Roman Catholic Church reform movement Voice of the Faithful wrote today to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Review Board, which oversees the Church’s child protection policies, declaiming its distress that disgraced Bishop Robert Finn will preside at ordinations this month in his former diocese. In doing so, we add our voices to those of SNAP and other organizations that believe public support for abuse survivors and endorsement of strong child protection policies is essential for the Church.
Here is the text of the letter:
Dear NRB Members,
Voice of the Faithful urges you, as the office charged with ensuring the protection of children, to speak out immediately on the recent that Bishop Robert Finn, who recently resigned from the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, is scheduled to confer ordinations there later this month.
Bishop Finn, as you no doubt know, was convicted three years ago for the crime of failing to report the discovery of child pornography on the computer of a priest in his diocese. Despite that conviction, Bishop Finn was permitted to attend USCCB meetings. No other bishop publicly criticized his presence, and only when the Vatican announced his removal was there any consequence to his public failure to observe the 2002 Dallas Charter requirements or the laws protecting children in Missouri.
To have Bishop Finn preside at ordinations sends a compelling signal to the Faithful of cronyism and coverup, of clerical preference at the expense of a strong commitment to protecting children. Bishop Finn, who by his conviction is no longer legally eligible to teach children, does not embody the qualities needed for leaders and teachers of the faith and surely should not be in the position of ordaining future pastors and spiritual guides.
In the name of abuse survivors and our children and grandchildren, we pray you speak out against this misguided plan to have Bishop Finn confer ordinations. Your message would be a significant demonstration that it’s not “business as usual” for the coverup of child sex abuse. If you fail to act, the message delivered instead is that “courtesy” to bishops matters more to the USCCB than its own promises about protecting children from sex abuse.
Sincerely,
Mark Mullaney, President
U.S. bishops struggle to follow lead of Francis / The New York Times
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on November 12, 2014
It was a hail and farewell moment at a tumultuous time for the Roman Catholic Church. More than 200 bishops rose to their feet Monday (Nov. 10) and gave a protracted standing ovation to Cardinal Francis George, a former president of the bishops’ conference, who will step down next week as the archbishop of Chicago …
“There is no bishop who is standing up and being the real leader of a Francis faction,” Father (Thomas) Reese (a Jesuit priest and senior analyst for National Catholic Reporter) said. “They grew up in conservative families, went to conservative seminaries and have been told not to talk to theologians who are creative because they’ve been labeled heretical. Now Francis is saying let’s go in a different direction and let’s have a discussion. The last two pontificates, there was no room for discussion, and this makes them nervous and confused.”
By Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Underreported Survey Responses for Synod on the Family a Valuable Tool for Vatican / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Future of the Church, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on June 19, 2014
Last week, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reported on survey responses from U.S. dioceses in preparation for October’s first session of the Synod of Bishops on the family. Kurtz’s report was underwhelming at best …
“There is no real dialogue here, no real listening, only the assumption that Catholics will change their minds if bishops talk louder and longer …
“One large national survey that went mostly unnoticed by the media is worth discussing here because it provided an opportunity for Catholics from anywhere in the U.S. to give feedback, not only those in the 72 U.S. dioceses out of 195 that offered online surveys. Conducted in November and December by 15 progressive Catholic organizations, the survey reports on 16,582 respondents from across the United States …”
By Christine Schenk, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this column.
Voice of the Faithful® was among the progressive Catholic organizations supporting this survey.
Bishops Talk Sex Abuse Complacency, Not Accountability at Annual Meeting / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Future of the Church, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on June 13, 2014
Urged not to get complacent on clergy sexual abuse of minors, the nation’s Catholic bishops spoke little of holding one another accountable for failures in protecting children at their annual spring meeting. The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Review Board, which advises the bishops on child protection policies, told those gathered Wednesday (June 11) in New Orleans that the church ‘continues to slowly make progress’ on the abuse issue and asked bishops present to ‘resist complacency’ and ‘remain committed’ to the work still ahead of them.”
By Brian Roewe, Joshua J. McElwee — Click here to read the rest of this story.
Other news concerning the U.S. bishops’ 2014 spring assembly, which is taking place in New Orleans:
U.S. Bishops Seek to Match Vatican in Shifting Tone
“Fifteen months into the pontificate of Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic bishops of the United States find themselves unsettled in ways large and small, revisiting both how they live and what they talk about in light of the new pope’s emphasis on personal humility and economic justice. Over the last several days as the bishops gathered here for their semiannual meeting, they grappled with the substantive and stylistic implications of a still-new papacy.” By Michael Paulson, The New York Times
At Spring Assembly, U.S. Bishops Urged to Promote, Support Families
“The U.S. bishops, gathered in New Orleans for their spring general assembly June 11-13, were urged to promote and support Catholic families. At the close of the morning’s session June 11, the bishops were advised to pay close attention to the Vatican’s extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family Oct. 5-19 and to promote the World Meeting of Families September 2015 in Philadelphia.” By The Catholic Sun
U.S. Bishops Open Assembly by Voting to Stay the Course
“The nation’s Catholic bishops during their annual summer assembly voted to stay the course they have set for themselves over the last several years, focusing on issues of religious liberty, same-sex marriage, and participation in the U.S. political sphere. In one of only three public deliberations at the event, the prelates voted to renew their efforts in addressing concerns over religious liberty, granting another three-year term to a special bishops’ committee organized on the issue. The bishops are gathered in New Orleans until Friday (June 13) for their spring meeting, one of two annual plenary assemblies of the U.S. bishops’ conference.” By Brian Roewe and Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
Will the Bishops Follow Pope Francis in New Orleans? / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Voice of the Faithful on June 10, 2014
In November, when the U.S. bishops met for their annual meeting in Baltimore, they did not pick up on the themes that are the signature features of the papacy of Pope Francis: concern for the poor and marginalized, criticism of the capitalism, and the mercy and compassion of God. Rather, they continued to worry about gay marriage and the contraceptive mandate and voted to write a statement on pornography. (Spoiler alert: They are against it.)
“It was truly embarrassing to watch the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in action in Baltimore, especially for those who remember the glory years when the bishops were prophetic voices with their letters on peace and the economy. It was as if they had missed the Francis memo.
“This week, the bishops will have another chance to get on the Francis bandwagon as they meet Wednesday through Friday in New Orleans. Will they miss the bus again?”
By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter — Click here to read the rest of this story)
U.S. Bishops Elect New Leaders
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Voice of the Faithful on November 12, 2013
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elected new leadership this morning during its assembly, which is being held this week in Baltimore. Here are a couple of stories from National Catholic Reporter, which is covering the assembly:
Editorial: Put Concrete Realities on U.S. Bishops’ Agenda / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis, Vatican, Voice of the Faithful on November 8, 2013
Earlier today, we posted a link to comments Thomas Reese made in National Catholic Reporter about the upcoming meeting of U.S. bishops, which takes place in Baltimore next week. Reese says he sees disparity between the bishops’ agenda and the direction Pope Francis has said he would like to take the Church and the type of bishops he would like them to be. Now the editorial staff at NCR weighs in on the same topic:
Anyone looking at the published agenda of the meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (see story) would say that an efficient, business-like organization could deal with that in half a day. The published agenda is beyond prosaic: approval of some liturgical translations, an election of officers, some committee reports, and a “presentation for a proposal to develop a formal statement on pornography. (Spoiler alert: They are against porn.)
“There is, it seems, very little action in the bishops’ action items.
“The bishops should quickly deal with this old agenda, and then address the central question facing them: What kind of conference do they want to be?
“Pope Francis has been clear about what he expects of bishops: He has condemned in no uncertain terms clericalism and careerism. One of his earliest statements was that priests — and by extension bishops — should ‘be shepherds with the smell of sheep’ on them. In late October, ordaining two archbishops, Francis told them: ‘Keep in mind that you were selected to serve, not to dominate.'”
Read the rest of NCR’s editorial by clicking here.
Pastoral Priorities from Pope Francis for U.S. Bishops Meeting in Baltimore Next Week / National Catholic Reporter
Posted by Voice of the Faithful in Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis, Voice of the Faithful on November 8, 2013
When the U.S. bishops meet Nov. 11-14 in Baltimore, people expect them to discuss the pastoral priorities facing the church in the United States. Instead, they are dealing with minor liturgical translations, a statement on pornography, and political conflicts over contraception and gay marriage. It is as if they have not heard anything Pope Francis said in the last eight months.
“If Pope Francis dropped in on their meeting, what would he say to them? I doubt he would waste much time talking about their agenda. Instead, he would challenge them, as he did the Latin American bishops when he talked to them in Brazil.” By Thomas Reese, National Catholic Reporter
Read the rest of Reese’s commentary by clicking here.
Voice of the Faithful
A lay movement for governance reform in the Roman Catholic Church, responding to the clergy sexual abuse scandal and supporting survivors.
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