Vatican official says U.S. abuse norms are complex but are working

Published: 2004-01-20

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As U.S. dioceses implement stricter sex abuse policies and deal with accused priests, they have a quiet but watchful partner in the Vatican. The norms for responding to alleged sexual abuse of minors by priests were worked out between U.S. bishops and Vatican officials in a highly publicized series of meetings in 2002. They give bishops a number of options in dealing with accused priests, with the Vatican retaining oversight and final decision-making authority in most cases. The system is necessarily complex and deliberate but, more importantly, it is working, said Msgr. Charles Scicluna, a Vatican doctrinal official who deals directly with many of the cases. "Obviously, we're all on a learning curve. These cases are being handled as we speak," Msgr. Scicluna said in an interview in mid-January. But he said the U.S. norms, in tandem with the Vatican's more universal rules for such cases, are proving fair and workable. Some priests have been permanently removed from ministry, some have been laicized and some have been scheduled for a church trial, he said.

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