Time to choose: Addressing sex abuse

ALBANY (NY)
Times Union

June 21, 2019

By Bishop Edward Scharfenberger

Nothing is more central to our faith than Jesus — to believe God loves us in Him — personally. After all, we call ourselves Christians! The Father sent his only-begotten Son into the world for one reason: to announce his love for every human being, going into the depths of where love is lacking, and to lift us in his Holy Spirit, the heart of God’s love.

Nothing is more important for the Church than to announce that message. It this context I offer my reflections on the spring meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

On the upside, we resolved any question of whether the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, should be applied to bishops. We voted overwhelmingly to hold ourselves accountable for instances of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable persons, sexual misconduct, or intentional mishandling of such cases.

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