Bishop Gregory calls sex abuse crisis rallying point for unity

Published: 2003-11-10

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The clergy sexual abuse crisis should be a "rallying point" for Catholics to work together to make the church and all of society safe for children, said Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The crisis also requires a major effort in the often difficult process of reconciliation with victims of abuse, he said at the opening session of the U.S. bishops' Nov. 10-13 fall general meeting in Washington. Preventing further abuse "must be accompanied by a healing and reconciliation with those who were abused," he said. "All of us want to keep children safe and the clergy and all church personnel free of predators," he said in the annual presidential address at the meeting. Bishops, priests, religious and laity "need to act decisively" to see that the sex abuse policies and norms adopted in 2002 are implemented in each diocese and parish, he said. "Diocesan administration alone will not achieve the goal," said Bishop Gregory.

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