Press Releases
November, 2002

Diocese of Bridgeport joins state-wide petition drive to defend marriage

U.S. Bishops to meet in Washington November 11-14

Bishop hails Norms as recommitment of Dallas pledge

By JOSEPH McALEER
jmcaleer@diobpt.org

At their annual meeting November 11-14 in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Catholic bishops voted 246-7 to approve the revised Norms of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Norms will now be returned to the Holy See for its recognitio (approval) to become particular law for the Catholic Church in the United States.

Recommitment of Dallas Charter
"This vote represents a recommitment of what my brother bishops and I pledged in Dallas last June: that a single act of sexual abuse with a minor will result in the permanent removal of a priest or deacon from ministry," says Bishop William E. Lori. "Our commitment to zero tolerance has not changed in any way. The U.S. bishops now have a consistent policy which is on its way to becoming law."

Bishop Lori participated in the Mixed Commission of U.S. bishops and Vatican officials which drafted the revised Norms. He is also a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which crafted the Dallas Charter.

The revised Norms spell out the procedure which bishops will be required to follow in handling an allegation of sexual abuse by a priest or deacon. The procedure is as follows:

• When an allegation is received, a preliminary investigation is conducted promptly and objectively. The Review Board (now mandatory for all dioceses) will assist the bishop in assessing the credibility of the allegation. In the Diocese of Bridgeport, the Review Board (10 lay persons and one priest) includes a former state’s attorney, a detective, a psychologist, and a children’s advocate. “Review Boards are an invaluable resource on which I rely,” says Bishop Lori.

• “When there is sufficient evidence that sexual abuse of a minor has occurred” (Norm 6), the bishop puts the priest or deacon on administrative leave. The allegation is immediately reported to the civil authorities and the diocese will cooperate in any civil investigation.

• At the same time, the bishop notifies the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican department responsible for handling such cases. The Congregation will then decide whether to hear the case itself, or direct the bishop to proceed. If the allegation falls beyond the Church’s statute of limitations (10 years past the age of majority), the bishop shall request an extension of the time limit for trying the case.

• The Congregation will determine whether or not a church tribunal or court will hear the case. If the case is heard, church law governing tribunals is strictly followed in order to arrive at a just judgment. If the case is not heard, subsequent Norms (especially Norm 9) provide other measures bishops can take to ensure that offending priests or deacons do not remain in ministry.

• If the allegation is admitted or proven in a canonical trial, the Norms require the following: “When even a single act of sexual abuse by a priest or deacon is admitted or is established after an appropriate process in accord with canon law, the offending priest or deacon will be removed permanently from ecclesiastical ministry, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state, if the case so warrants” (Norm 8). The Norms also provide that the offending deacon or priest can always ask to be dispensed from the obligations of the clerical state (laicized). In exceptional cases, the bishop can petition the Holy Father directly to laicize an offending priest or deacon against his will.

• If a canonical trial is not possible (for example, because of advanced age or infirmity), the priest or deacon “ought to lead a life of prayer and penance. He will not be permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to administer the sacraments. He is to be instructed not to wear clerical garb, or to present himself publicly as a priest” (Norm 8b).

• Norm 9 concerns the bishop’s executive power of governance – the bishop’s authority and responsibility to remove an offending priest or deacon from ministry when a trial cannot be conducted, or whenever the bishop is morally certain that the priest or deacon presents a threat to young people. “No one has an automatic right to ministry,” says Bishop Lori. “A bishop may decide that the priest or deacon, even if acquitted, nonetheless poses a danger to children.”

• Norm 12 makes it clear that “no priest or deacon who has committed an act of sexual abuse of a minor may be transferred for ministerial assignment to another diocese/eparchy or religious province”

• The Norms conclude with a firm pledge of resolve: “Care will always be taken to protect the rights of all parties involved, particularly those of the person claiming to have been sexually abused and the person against whom the charge has been made. When an accusation has proved to be unfounded, every step possible will be taken to restore the good name of the person falsely accused” (Norm 13).

Practical Means of Doing the Job
“This is a very thorough set of Norms designed to do the job,” Bishop Lori says. “There are safeguards built in to protect the human rights and dignity of the accused and the accuser. We bishops now have a very practical means of implementing the Dallas Charter. We know now what we have to do – and pledge to do it, to the letter of the law.”

(For more information about the Norms and the Dallas Charter, visit the U.S. Bishops’ website: www.usccb.org.)

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BRIDGEPORT, Friday, November 1 - In solidarity with his brother bishops in the State of Connecticut, the Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport, has expressed his support for a petition, organized by the Knights of Columbus, against "same-sex unions" and in defense of traditional marriage and the Sacrament of Matrimony.

During all Masses in the Diocese of Bridgeport on Saturday, November 2, and Sunday, November 3, priests will read from the pulpit a letter from Bishop Lori urging the Catholic faithful to show their support by signing the petition.

The petition proposes a "Connecticut Defense of Marriage Act" which states, "Only the union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Connecticut. Any other relationship shall not be recognized as a marriage or its legal equivalent, nor shall it receive the benefits or incidents exclusive to marriage from the state of Connecticut."

Members of the Knights of Columbus will be present at all 87 parishes in Fairfield County to coordinate the signing effort.

"Today I ask you to stand up for the truth about marriage and family in the Creator's plan," Bishop Lori says. "I urge you to join with fellow citizens in opposing legislation that would legalize same-sex unions in the State of Connecticut."

The full text of Bishop Lori's letter follows.

November 2-3, 2002

Dear friends in Christ,

Today I ask you to stand up for the truth about marriage and family in the Creator's plan. Specifically, I urge you to join with fellow citizens in opposing legislation that would legalize same-sex unions in the State of Connecticut.

Efforts to enact such legislation represent a large effort by a small special interest group. These activists seek to redefine marriage and family for our whole society. They wrongly claim that current law is discriminatory. It is not. Current law allows persons, regardless of gender or marital status, to designate others with powers of medical decision making and hospital visitation. Same-sex couples already can adopt children in this State. Members of same-sex couples can designate one another as beneficiaries in their wills without being penalized. Indeed, Connecticut inheritance tax is being phased out.

Current marriage law is not discriminatory but same-sex legislation would violate our civil rights. For example, in Vermont, where same-sex civil unions have been legalized, the law penalizes justices of the peace who conscientiously refuse to participate in such ceremonies. Already the education of our children in public schools is being impacted. Some public school textbooks wrongly state that the Gospel does not prohibit homosexual activity. If marriage law in Connecticut is changed, your children will be taught distorted views concerning marriage and family that you may have little ability to change.

Marriage is necessary for the good of society and has the right to be protected by law. Long before our country and its laws were established, human reason recognized the unique role of marriage and family in society. As Pope John Paul II has stated: "Marriage, which under-girds the institution of family, is constituted by the covenant whereby a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life. This covenant, by its very virtue, is ordered to the well being of the spouses and the procreation and upbringing of children. Only such a union can be recognized and ratified as a 'marriage' in society." [Letter to Families, 1994]

After Mass, the Knights of Columbus will request your signature on a petition in support of strong laws to protect marriage and family. The petition states:

We, the undersigned, oppose the passage of any legislation that seeks to redefine marriage and request that you do the same. Further, we expect you, as an elected representative of the people of Connecticut, to honor our votes and our values, and to protect the institution of marriage by supporting the following Connecticut Defense of Marriage Act:

"Only the union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Connecticut. Any other relationship shall not be recognized as a marriage or its legal equivalent, nor shall it receive the benefits or incidents exclusive to marriage from the state of Connecticut."

I ask you to sign this petition as you leave church today. Petitions gathered from all around the State will be presented to the Connecticut Legislature to assure that your voice is heard. From the information you are sharing with us, you may be receiving follow-up information from groups with whom we work on these and similar issues.

Let me also recall that last year, the Legislature nearly interfered with the way in which the Sacrament of Penance is celebrated by attempting to invade the seal of confession. We need to be vigilant lest the Legislature attempt to impose its will on the way in which the Church understands and celebrates the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Assuring you of my prayers for you and your families, I remain

Faithfully in Christ,
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport

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WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will hold its semi-annual meeting November 11-14 in Washington, D.C. The Bishops of the United States, including Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport, will attend. One of the six items on the agenda will be a discussion of the revised Norms of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

The agenda for the meeting will include:

• A pastoral letter concerning migration, to be issued jointly by the bishops of the U.S. and Mexico
  
  
• A document entitled "A Place at the Table: A Catholic Commitment to Overcome Poverty and Respect the Dignity of All God's Children"
  
  
• A statement on the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade
  
  
• A document on diocesan financial issues to assist dioceses in financial reporting
  
  
• Several items pertaining to the Church's liturgy
  
  
• "Encuentro and Mission: A Renewed Pastoral Framework for Hispanic Ministry"
  
  
• A report from the Mixed Commission and discussion of the Revised Norms of the Dallas Charter

The Mixed Commission, of which Bishop Lori was a member, met in Rome October 28-29 to revise the "Essential Norms" for diocesan policies in dealing with allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy, adopted by the U.S. Bishops last June. The work of the Commission "substantially confirms the decisions made" at that time, according to Belleville Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, USCCB president.

"Contrary to many news reports, the Holy See did not reject or even 'soften' this work," Bishop Gregory notes. "In fact, it is the foundation for what will become particular law in the United States if the revised Norms are approved by the USCCB and receive the Holy See's recognitio."

To read the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' press release of November 4, 2002, on the work of the Mixed Commission, click here.

For a comparative table giving the original and the complete revised Norms side by side, click here.

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