Church Plan on Sex Abuse, by Marguerite

¶ … Church Plan on Sex Abuse, by Marguerite Michaels. Specifically, it will argue against the plan.

CHURCH PLAN

Recently, the Roman Catholic bishops of the United States formulated and adopted a new plan regarding sexual abuse by Catholic priests. Briefly, the plan says that if a priest is accused of sexual abuse, a board of at least one priest and lay Catholics will advise the local bishop in private if there is "sufficient evidence" of abuse. This is not acceptable practice, for the board may, and probably will be prejudiced toward the priest, and against the victim, especially if the board is made up of local members of the parish. The board, if it exists at all, should be made up of disinterested third parties, and members of parishes that are far enough away so as not to bring prejudices to the board. In other words, it should be an impartial board, and this approved board seems anything but impartial.

If there is "sufficient evidence," the priest will be "temporarily" removed from his "ministry pending a church tribunal" (Michaels). The tribunal is comprised of a canon or church lawyer, along with up to five priests acting as judges, who are also canon lawyers. The victim will testify before the tribunal, as will the priest. Again, there are no lay people on the board, and so, it is not a balanced and impartial body, and cannot be expected to rule impartially.