The Rev. Benedict Groeschel, a prominent author and speaker who is especially popular with conservative Catholics and bishops, has sparked outrage by saying that priests who sexually abuse children “on their first offense” should not go to jail.
When the nation’s Catholic bishops gather in Atlanta this week (June 13-15) for their annual spring meeting, a top agenda item will be assessing the reforms they adopted 10 years ago as revelations of widespread sexual abuse of children by priests consumed the church.
The Episcopal Church is rejecting charges that its top leader, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, mishandled the ordination of a former priest who is now accused of sexual abuse.
The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops began a review of church sex abuse policies here on June 15, bypassing several recent reports that raise questions about whether the rules are effective at removing abusive priests.
A review of church sex abuse guidelines will top the agenda when the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops meet in Seattle June 15-17. But no major changes have been proposed, according to church leaders, even after several recent reports have raised questions about the rules’ power to remove abusive priests.