HOLY SEE TO THE USCCB: DON'T DO OR SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ABUSE SCANDALS

Here’s an immediate development with regard to the USCCB General Assembly currently underway in Baltimore.

 At the urging of the Vatican, the Bishops will not vote on two proposals they were to discuss regarding their response to the clergy sex abuse crisis.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, USCCB President, informed the Bishops as they opened their fall general assembly that the Vatican wanted the Bishops to delay any vote until after a February meeting with the Pope and Presidents of the Bishops' Conferences around the world that will focus on addressing clergy abuse.

Affected are proposed standards of Episcopal conduct and the formation of a special commission for review of complaints against bishops for violations of the standards.

Cardinal DiNardo said he was disappointed that no action would be taken during the assembly, but that he was hopeful that the delay "will improve our response to the crisis we face."

The assembly planned to move forward with discussion of both proposals from the Bishop's Administrative Committee.

The Administrative Committee consists of the Officers, Chairmen and Regional Representatives of the USCCB. The Committee, which meets in March and September, is the highest authority of the USCCB outside of the full body of bishops when they meet for their fall and spring general assemblies.

What a disaster of leadership and competence.

It is not as though the Holy See was unaware of the agenda of the General Assembly.

To wait to this moment to make such a request of the Conference and in the face of the overwhelming negative sentiment abroad throughout the Church in this country is beyond understanding.

One could not effectively undermine the confidence which the faithful should have in the Bishops if one tried.

How could anyone, including Almighty God Himself, blame any Catholic who simply throws up his or her hands and just walks away from such incredible mismanagement and lack of pastoral concern for past and possible future victims of the overwhelming homosexual abuse of young males by their Clergy?

The USCCB, if it were ever considered an effective body (which I have consistently doubted), is finished in terms of its credibility and relevance in this country.

Finally, that reality is being made glaringly apparent to many.