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June 28, 2002 Vol Inside Archbishop Buechlein . 4, 5 Editorial . 4 Question Corner . 11 The Sunday & Daily Readings. 11 Serving the CChurchCriterion in Centralr andi Southert n Indianae Since 1960rion www.archindy.org June 28, 2002 Vol. XXXXI, No. 37 50¢ Bishops start dealing with new rules on sex-abusing priests WASHINGTON (CNS)—Within days diocesan staff and issued statements or June 23 from Boston Common to the to the board along with Keating June 14, of their historic June 13-15 meeting on spoke with reporters about what would be Cathedral of the Holy Cross, carrying the core group added a fourth member, clerical sex abuse of minors, some U.S. done locally to carry out the Dallas deci- signs with childhood pictures of about 75 Michael J. Bland, clinical-pastoral coordi- bishops began implementing the new sions. alleged abuse victims. They joined about nator of the Chicago archdiocesan Office national charter they established in Dallas. There were new criminal and civil 100 other protesters outside the cathedral. of Assistance Ministry and himself a sur- Several priests with past records of actions against priests accused of sexual The core group of the U.S. bishops’ vivor of sexual abuse by a priest when he abuse, who had been restored to ministry abuse, and attorneys on both sides of civil new National Review Board overseeing was a minor. or Church-related office jobs following cases in the Boston Archdiocese agreed to implementation of the new national pol- A news release from the U.S. Confer- treatment, were removed from those posts, try to reach an out-of-court settlement icy held its first meeting June 20-21 in ence of Catholic Bishops said the full including eight in Chicago. Some retired that could cover up to 275 cases. Oklahoma City under the chairmanship of board should be named by mid-July. It priests were informed they could no longer In Boston, the starting point last Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating. said the core group discussed review wear clerical garb, present themselves as January of the clergy sex abuse scandal Along with Washington lawyer Robert board procedures, the structure of the priests or say Mass publicly. that erupted into a national crisis, alleged S. Bennett and Illinois Appellate Court planned USCCB Office of Child and Bishops held planning meetings with victims and their advocates marched Justice Anne M. Burke, who were named See PRIESTS, page 2 Ruling ending executions of Photos by Mary Ann Wyand MaryPhotos by Ann retarded people is a breakthrough WASHINGTON (CNS)—The Supreme Court’s ruling that it is unconstitutional to execute mentally retarded people is an important breakthrough, say death penalty opponents, but some cautioned that the opinion does not mean the court has shifted against capital punishment. The court ruled 6-3 on June 20 that exe- cuting people who are mentally retarded violates the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. (As The Criterion was going to press earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court also ruled that juries, not judges, must decide whether to impose the death penalty. The ruling means that 168 death sentences in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Nebraska must be reconsidered.) In writing for the majority, Justice John Paul Stevens said the fact that a growing number of states have banned executions of mentally retarded offenders is an indication Campers sing during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein on June 23 at CYO Camp Rancho Framasa in Brown County. that society’s moral standards have shifted sufficiently to reflect that in law. “It is not so much the number of these states that is significant, but the consistency Youths grow in faith at CYO camp of the direction of change,” Stevens wrote. He noted that even in states where it is By Mary Ann Wyand as well as Church and community and faith formation programming for legal to execute retarded people, the prac- donors and United Way funding make youth and adults partially made possible tice is rare. Eighteen of the 38 states with NASHVILLE—Past some hills and CYO camp programming possible for by donations to the archdiocesan Legacy the death penalty ban such executions. curves on Clay Lick Road, just north of children of all faith traditions and family of Hope from Generation to Generation Another 12 states have no capital punish- Wallow Hollow and Less Traveled income levels. capital and endowment campaign. ment law. roads, a large wooden sign marks the Fifty-six years after the Dingleys’ On June 23, Archbishop Daniel M. Indiana has prohibited death sentences entrance to the archdiocesan Catholic dream of helping children experience Buechlein dedicated a modern Outdoor against mentally retarded people since Youth Organization’s Camp Rancho and enjoy nature became a reality, CYO Program Center with a large dining hall 1994. Framasa. Camp Rancho Framasa is beginning a and meeting rooms completed last See COURT, page 13 Founded in 1946 on 280 acres of new era of year-round outdoor education September that enables the camp staff to hilly, wooded land and farmland in provide spiritual retreats, leadership scenic Brown Country, Camp Rancho training and community-building pro- Framasa was a gift to the Catholic grams in addition to traditional camping Church in central and southern Indiana activities. The camp expansion program from the Bert Dingley family of also includes three new winterized cab- St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg. ins and five renovated cabins. At the end of World War II, the The dedication ceremony began with Dingleys decided to give their rural a Mass at the spacious outdoor amphi- property near Nashville to the theater constructed last year with help Archdiocese of Indianapolis for use as from Indiana National Guard members an outdoor recreation and education and CYO volunteers under the direction facility for youth. of Holy Spirit parishioner Robert The camp was named Rancho Heidenreich of Indianapolis, a former Framasa for their daughters—Frances, camper and camp counselor. Margaret and Samuella—and has “I want to thank you and congratulate evolved over the years into a premiere you as a board and as a staff” for the summer camp that also provides inclu- beautiful new facilities and wonderful pro- sive programming for persons with dis- gramming, Archbishop Buechlein told the abilities. It serves 2,000 campers during Father Robert Hankee, associate pastor of board of directors, camp staff members nine weeks in June, July and August, St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg and a former and other CYO supporters before blessing and is accredited by the American assistant camp director at CYO Camp Rancho the new archdiocesan recreational and Camping Association. Framasa in Brown County, distributes educational center last Sunday. Annual support from the archdiocese Communion to campers during a June 23 Mass. See CYO, page 8 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, June 28, 2002 who uses a wheelchair and one who is priests will be offered free counseling may be removed from their parishes as a bedridden—have been notified that they through the University of Louisville. result of the new zero-tolerance policy PRIESTS can no longer present themselves as Father Thomas R. Malia was asked to and new evidence uncovered in a two- continued from page 1 priests. resign as pastor of two Baltimore parishes month investigation by the Wayne County Youth Protection, which the board will • The St. Cloud Diocese gave notice to when it was learned that he had hired prosecutor’s office. Two other priests in oversee, and a job description for the three priests, one retired and two who Robert Gee in 1999 as interim music direc- restricted ministries were removed office’s director. held administrative jobs. tor of one of the parishes, knowing that because of past abuse. Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago • Abbot John Klassen told the Bene- Gee had been convicted of sexual abuse of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los announced the removal of eight priests dictine monks of St. John’s Abbey in a teen-ager two years earlier. A diocesan Angeles announced the establishment of a from all priestly ministry on June 23 Collegeville on June 19 that the abbey spokesman said the priest likely would be new 13-member archdiocesan review because of credible accusations against will follow the bishops’ policy and go a assigned to another parish, but not as a pas- board to replace his current nine-member them in the past. Three of them were pas- step further: If a monk has sexually tor. board. Among those named to the new tors, one an associate pastor, one a hospi- abused someone, he will be removed Diocesan officials in Scranton, Pa., indi- board were a psychologist who was sexu- tal chaplain, two worked in administrative from ministry even if the victim was an cated four priests would likely be removed ally abused as a child and the parents of jobs and one, a 72-year-old retiree, was adult. The abbey has 14 monks who live from ministry. One recently resigned from an abuse victim. assisting with weekend Masses. under restrictions because of past abuse a parish; the others were in limited ministry In Augusta, Maine, Bishop Joseph J. Cardinal George said five of the priests of children or young people. without contact with children. Gerry of Portland and Auxiliary Bishop plan to appeal their removal, while two In the Evansville Diocese in Indiana, In San Jose, Calif., Bishop Patrick J. Michael R. Cote met for more than two plan to resign from the priesthood. The Father Michael Allen was removed as McGrath permanently removed two hours on June 20 with 10 alleged abuse retired priest will no longer be able to cel- pastor of St.
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