CCCB can't make the rules for specific diocese

Trevor Pritchard

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 10:00

Local News - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops does not have the authority to make individual dioceses change how they tackle sexual abuse among their own clergy, said the bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall.

Paul-Andr‚ Durocher was one of dozens of bishops from across Canada attending the week-long annual plenary meeting of the CCCB, which opened Monday in Cornwall.

"Some feel the CCCB can make rules that all the dioceses (must) follow - and that's not true," said Durocher.

Durocher was responding to calls from London, Ont. law firm Ledroit Beckett, which represents the victims' group at the Cornwall Public Inquiry, to have the CCCB address more strongly the issue of child sexual abuse in the church.

On Monday morning, Ledroit Beckett lawyer Robert Talach asked the CCCB to implement three "concrete, realistic" proposals:

Defrock any priest convicted of a sex crime, and never employ that priest again;

Create a national registry of priests criminally convicted of such crimes;

Create a national standard of counseling for victims of sexual abuse.

But the CCCB is about discussion and debate, not making binding proclamations, said Durocher.

"Each diocese is independent from the others. That's one of the problems with each of these suggestions."

Durocher said "defrocking" is not a concept that exists within church law.

Priests can be prevented from ministering to the public, delivering the sacraments, and ultimately dismissed from the clerical state - meaning they cannot exercise any of the normal duties that come with being a clergyman, said Durocher.

Even then, priests can still offer the sacraments in an emergency, such as when someone is near death, he said.

"Sometimes, keeping somebody on a tight leash would be better for the safety of others than simply dismissing them," said Durocher.

"Once a priest, always a priest."

In terms of establishing a national registry of offenders, Durocher said that information was already available to members of the public.

willingly release names

However, he said the Alexandria-Cornwall diocese would willingly release the names of convicted priests should such a registry be founded.

"I would have no problem co-operating in such an exercise."

Three years ago, the CCCB set up an ad hoc committee consisting of bishops and sexual abuse experts to review its "From Pain to Hope" report, which looks at ways to deal with clerical sexual abuse.

That committee will be presenting its review later this week, said Durocher.

CCCB Vice-President and Archbishop of Winnipeg James Weisgerber was blunt in his opposition to Ledroit Beckett's missive.

"I'm not sure where a group of lawyers get the idea we're not (dealing with this issue). We are," Weisgerber said.
ID- 233403
.