Sex abuse stems from crisis of faith, morality, EWTN panelists say

Published: 2004-03-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The clergy sex abuse scandal stemmed from a societal crisis of morality and a church crisis of faith, panelists said at an EWTN-sponsored "town hall meeting" held on the evening of the release of 52 years of sex abuse statistics. Panelists at the 90-minute program broadcast live Feb. 27 on the Eternal Word Television Network included four members of the all-lay National Review Board, three bishops and two church commentators. Made public earlier that day in Washington were a study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice titled "The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States 1950-2002" and a 145-page report by the review board on the causes and context of that abuse over the past half-century. Held on the campus of The Catholic University of America in Washington, the town hall meeting also included questions from a studio audience of several dozen people and telephone callers from around the nation.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .