Average Joe

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Jul 07, 2003

The July 7th America (available online only to subscribers) has an article by attorney and law professor Patrick Schiltz on the legal challenges facing the U.S. bishops as a result of the child-abuse scandal. He begins with a description of the current legal situation, and then proceeds to make positive recommendations, including the appointment of a national "sex-abuse czar" to oversee the bishops' implementation of their policies and the erection of a national tribunal to arbitrate (rather than litigate) sex-abuse claims. Though it's good to see positive and concrete suggestions put forward, I'm not convinced they'll be effective unless Schiltz's first proposal is taken seriously:

By far the most important thing that the church must do is restore trust. Speaking as an average Joe in the pew, I must confess that the church will not restore my trust until it holds negligent bishops accountable for the incalculable damage they have inflicted on the church.

Amen, brother.