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 Off the Record

Quis custodit

By Diogenes (articles ) | March 04, 2005 9:33 AM

As the editor noted yesterday, citing John Allen's story in the National Catholic Reporter,the Vatican has been named as defendant in an American sex-abuse lawsuit. The plaintiff argues that Vatican officials failed to exercise proper supervision over US bishops.

Mark Chopko, attorney for the US bishops' conference, comments:

"The idea that the Holy See is managing directly all these activities of the church is not well-taken," he said. "Supervision of clergy is vested directly with the local bishops, and nowhere else."

True. But who’s in charge of supervising the bishops?

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Show 4 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: - Mar. 04, 2005 9:00 PM ET USA

    What supervision by the bishop of the diocese?

  • Posted by: coach1 - Mar. 04, 2005 10:01 AM ET USA

    Last time I checked it was the Holy Father acting in "Persona Christi". I guess our bishops need to be reminded.

  • Posted by: - Mar. 04, 2005 9:59 AM ET USA

    The job of the Bishop is to teach, govern, and sanctify. This includes the Bishop of Rome. He has done a lot of teaching (but I don't know who is listening), and sanctifying. He, however, has done almost no governing especially of Bishops nor the papaly sanctioned religious orders, like the Jesuits and the Dominicans. When the only rules a priest can't break without disciplinary action is to request to say the Tridentine Mass or preach against sodomy or contraception, the Church has a problem.

  • Posted by: - Mar. 04, 2005 9:53 AM ET USA

    Prior to Vatican II the Pope had a lot to say to Bishops. But when John XXIII redefined compassion to be a rope of infinite elasticity, Bishops do almost anything they please except direct public heresy while they are in office. And the current Pope, in the last half of his term at least, has paid a lot more attention to whom he appoints, but has not (whether because of will, laziness, or impossibility) supervised any of them. Look at the lies he accepts about the success of the Novus Ordo!

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