KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter

August 20, 2018

By Fr. Peter Daly

In late April of 2002, Pope John Paul II summoned all the American cardinals to Rome for an emergency meeting to discuss the “American problem” of the sexual abuse scandal. It was dominating news coverage in the United States, and the bishops’ meeting in Dallas that June would be covered live on national television. Nothing much happened in Rome. The pope addressed the cardinals. A statement full of platitudes about concern and condemnation was issued. But no real accountability.

When the cardinals returned home, only one, Theodore McCarrick, had the courage to make himself available to the press. I was impressed. At least he seemed to “get” the gravity of the situation. At least he was willing to take questions.

When McCarrick came back from Rome, he summoned all the priests of the Archdiocese of Washington,…