Pope, Vatican officials offer encouragement to USCCB officials

Published: 2004-04-26

ROME (CNS) -- In their continuing response to the clergy sex abuse scandal, U.S. bishops must find ways to be accountable to each other, said their conference president. Pope John Paul II and top Vatican officials offered the conference leadership encouragement in late April, but not specific indications on how to accomplish their task, Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told Catholic News Service. Bishop Gregory and the conference vice president, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., along with Msgr. William P. Fay, conference general secretary, were at the Vatican for their semiannual meetings with Vatican officials. They met for lunch with Pope John Paul April 22.

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