Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of
Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued
the following statement Aug. 27:
In communion with the Holy Father, I join the Executive Committee
of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in taking upon
ourselves his exhortation, ‘this open wound (of abuse) challenges us to be firm
and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice.’
On Aug. 1, I promised that the USCCB would exercise the full
extent of its authority, and would advocate before those with greater
authority, to pursue the many questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick. On
Aug. 16, I called for an apostolic visitation, working in concert with a
national lay commission granted independent authority, to seek the truth.
Yesterday, I convened our Executive Committee once again, and it reaffirmed the
call for a prompt and thorough examination into how the grave moral failings of
a brother bishop could have been tolerated for so long and proven no impediment
to his advancement.
The recent letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò brings
particular focus and urgency to this examination. The questions raised deserve
answers that are conclusive and based on evidence. Without those answers,
innocent men may be tainted by false accusation and the guilty may be left to
repeat sins of the past.
I am eager for an audience with the Holy Father to earn his
support for our plan of action. That plan includes more detailed proposals to:
seek out these answers, make reporting of abuse and misconduct by bishops
easier, and improve procedures for resolving complaints against bishops.
Inspired by his recent letter to the people of God, and his motu proprio of two years ago, As
a Loving Mother, I am confident Pope Francis shares our desire for
greater effectiveness and transparency in the matter of disciplining bishops.
We renew our fraternal affection for the Holy Father in these difficult days.
To the survivors of abuse and the families who have lost a loved
one to abuse, I am sorry. You are no longer alone. Since 2002, hundreds of
professionally trained staff across the country have been working with the
Church to support survivors and prevent future abuse. Nationwide, the church
has a zero-tolerance policy toward priests and deacons who abuse, safe
environment training, background checks for those working around children,
victim assistance coordinators, prompt reporting to civil authorities, and lay
review boards in dioceses.
In other ways, we have failed you. This is especially true for
adults being sexually harassed by those in positions of power, and for any
abuse or harassment perpetrated by a bishop. We will do better. The more she is
buffeted by storms, the more I am reminded that the church’s firm foundation is
Jesus Christ. The failures of men cannot diminish the light of the Gospel.
Lord, by the help of your mercy, show us the way to salvation.