National Catholic Reporter

December 1, 1995

page 4

OTHER NCCB BUSINESS

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The Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse submitted Restoring Trust: Part II, with information on sexual offender treatment centers, results of a survey among bishops on their satisfaction level with such centers, victim/survivor stories and additional articles.

Committee chairman, Bismarck, N.D., Bishop John Kinney was asked after a news conference what happens the very first time a priest offender returned to ministry commits another offense? He replied;

"We pray God that is not going to happen. That depends on a successful outcome of treatment, on the way the local diocese or local church continues to monitor those situations. What I'm saying to bishops is that the only time a priest can be put back is when we are confident there is no risk."

Outside the meeting, Tom Economus of the Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse LINKUP, said,

"The bishops still think they can control this entire problem. [Chicago Cardinal Joseph] Bernardin has totally destroyed his credibility by reinstating [Fr.] John Calicott, who has admitted to molesting 15-year-olds boys."

The treatment center determined Calicott

"didn't fit the psychological profile of a pedophile,"

said Economus,

"but he admitted to molesting minors. What's the psychological profile he fits? According to clinicians, that of a sex offender. And yet they reinstate him and make him principal of a high school."

Econumus said LINKUP knows of nine sex-offender priests back in ministry. [----------------]

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