Church will deal with abuse crisis for long time, says canon lawyer

Published: 2004-02-05

OTTAWA (CNS) -- The Catholic Church in the United States and Canada will be dealing with the clergy sexual abuse crisis for a long time, said the president of the Canon Law Society of America. Although most Catholics want the problem fixed quickly, the crisis is "part of the cross that we will carry with us for some time, and we need not be discouraged by the cross; it is a symbol of salvation," Msgr. Mark Bartchak, society president, said in a speech at St. Paul University in Ottawa Feb. 3. Msgr. Bartchak, judicial vicar and director of the Office of Conciliation and Arbitration for the Diocese of Erie, Pa., has taught canon law at The Catholic University of America and other Catholic universities. He also serves as an advocate before diocesan tribunals for 12 U.S. priests accused of abuse. He said canon law stipulates that penalties against clergy should be a last resort, but the U.S. bishops have adopted a zero-tolerance policy for priest offenders. "What does that mean, if penalties are a last resort and yet the starting point is zero tolerance? How do we reconcile that?" he asked.

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