On the last day of their fall meeting, the U.S. bishops’ conference voted down a resolution that would have “encouraged” the Holy See to release all documents on the allegations of sexual misconduct against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick.
After about a half hour of debate, objections that the resolution was redundant and ambiguous won out, and it was voted down by a clicker vote of 83-137, with three abstaining.
The original text of the resolution, proposed by Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing, read: “Be it resolved that the bishops of the USCCB encourage the Holy Father to release all the documentation that can be released consistent with canon and civil law regarding the misconduct of Archbishop McCormick.”
“This is not going to solve everything,” Boyea said, but it was “one little task” that all of the bishops could do.
The bishops have previously supported the Holy See’s investigation with an Oct. 7 statement, made by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said that the bishops “welcomed” the Vatican investigation into McCarrick’s files.
Boyea said he was concerned that the Holy See would only release their findings, and not all related documentation.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco supported Boyea, saying that “the key here is documentation” and that the Holy See’s communique did not clarify what documents if any would be released.
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago said he objected to the ambiguity of the meaning of “release”, and asked whether the proposed resolution would end up being more restrictive of the investigation that what the Holy See had originally intended.
“Is the Holy See’s investigation more expansive than what this statement allows for?” he added. There may be some conversations or documentation given in confidentiality that the Holy See would release, but that were restricted under canon or civil law, he noted.
Boyea responded that the resolution seemed to “rest on the word ‘encourage’…Ultimately it’s left to the decision of the Holy See,” he said.
After an amendment to add the word “soon” in the resolution, Cordileone supported Cupich’s previous question, and asked for further clarification about what the resolution mean by “releasing” the documents. Boyea again responded that it would ultimately be up the Holy See.
“So we’re voting on asking the Holy See to do what they already said they’re going to do? The successor of Peter has said he’s going to be truthful about this, and it seems to me we need to take his word at it,” Cupich said.
Bishop Steven Biegler of Cheyenne said he also objected to the ambiguity of the wording of the resolution: “To whom would they be released? What does it mean to release them?”
“This is a statement of distrust” of the Holy See, he added.
Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento said he supported the motion. He said he thought it was respectful of the Holy Father, while also encouraging the Vatican “to move forward boldy in a way the Holy See has not been accustomed to in the past.”
The resolution was then put to a vote, but ultimately failed. The bishops then went on to discuss the proposed code of conduct for bishops during the second part of the afternoon session.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Another opportunity squandered!
This group, as a functional and cohesive unit, is a total failure. The bishops who voted AGAINST the proposition are either cowards or have been compromised in some way. The bishops who voted FOR the proposition will also be vicariously held to account for being part of the American episcopacy.
The motto for this conference is:
“Let us PREY!”
The other shoe has dropped. In addition to criminal investigations by various states attorneus general and federal investigations for conspiracy and RICO violations,
Civil class-action lawsuits habe been filed against all American bishops, plus the Vatican:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-us-bishops-face-class-action-lawsuit-from-victims-of-clergy-sex-abuse-79829
Here is the story that was reported in Church Militant about the class action lawsuits:
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/u.s.-bishops-slapped-with-two-rico-lawsuits
Once again the US Cardinals/Archbishops/Bishops fail. What a bunch of weaklings. Once again they confirm me in my decision to no longer make any donations to my Diocese or to the Vatican.
The root of the problem is again exposed by a Vatican insider:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-has-broken-with-previous-popes-causing-heresies-schisms-vatica
The fact that such a weak resolution was shot down indicates that we have episcopacy that is compromised by a combination of factors: many in their own homosexuality, more than previously thought seem to be proteges of McCarrick, and of course many are soy boys. Horrible!
Thank you Fr. Michael for speaking out. As a victim of abuse, I need an advocate, not an enabler like Cupich and even (as it seems to me– I hope I am wrong) Pope Francis. His interventions at this time give the impression that he is the problem, not the solution. Francis, what are you going to do about homosexual predation in the Church? To reword Glinda’s question to Dorothy in the 1939 Wizard of Oz: “Are you a good pope, or a bad pope?” I hope and pray you become the pope I can be proud of, not ashamed of.
Afditional confirmation of the work and conspiracy by Cdls. Wuerl and Cupich:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cupich-and-wuerl-collaborated-on-alternative-sex-abuse-proposal-10934
One wonders what Christ will say when facing one of the “corporate clergy” upon their death. “Good job, faithful servant for being careful, for accommodating heresy, for enabling a sin that cries out to Heaven for vengeance, and for hiding from the world the Gospel that I have commanded you to teach.”