Archbishop of Washington Talks Sexual Abuse, "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

[Art321]

Washington, DC (CBS News) – Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” where he addressed the Catholic church’s response to allegations of sexual abuse, and the religion’s views on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“When we look back and we talk about sexual abuse, we’re talking about something that happened 10, 20, even 30 years ago,” Wuerl said. “We have succeeded in terms of the church and her response. We have succeeded in guaranteeing that if a priest is accused, and there is a credible allegation, he is simply removed from the ministry. That is reported to the authorities, and we begin to try to heal whatever was damaged in that abuse.”

Wuerl said, “I think it’s one of the great accomplishments of the church. It recognized there was a serious problem. It dealt with it forthright and then moved on to see that we’re in a much, much better place, a much safer place today.”

Read more at: wltx.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=114329&catid=142

 

[3DOCTORS]

That editor or whoever titled that piece really flubbed it - or else wanted to be misleading. Because when I saw that, I thought it meant that the Archbishop had said, or was being accused of saying, that sexual abuse should be kept secret.

So I went back to the original piece to verify, and sure enough that really was the title, but it sure does make for confusion and a “What?!” reaction.

 

[Indyann]

Yes, that headline is very misleading. I watched the interview twice and I was impressed with the Cardinal’s responses. I do think he could have been more clear on WHY practicing homosexuals are not living according to God’s will.

 

[buffalo]

I do think he could have been more clear on WHY practicing homosexuals are not living according to God’s will.

This was a teachable moment as Wallace gave him openings. I was disappointed with the archbishops response. I thought it to be wimpy.

 

[Indyann]

This was a teachable moment as Wallace gave him openings. I was disappointed with the archbishops response. I thought it to be wimpy.

I agree. I wanted him to get to the “nitty gritty”. He didn’t.

 

[CNormal]

I watched the interview with my family in hopeful expectation but we were very much disappointed. Can the guy give a direct answer to anything? Of course, he must be “nuanced” in order to thrive in an environment as corrupt as Washington, D.C., but it would have been wonderful to hear someone with conviction rather than excuses and obfuscations. He is probably marginally better than his predecessor, Cardinal McCarrick, but cut from the same cloth. In my Diocese, we had a courageous and direct Bishop replaced by an abstract, lawyerly one. It was our loss and the gain of others.

Over weeks of Advent, we have heard so much about John the Baptist. Wouldn’t it be inspiring if more Bishops were like him rather than lawyerly politicians? I understand why Chris Wallace invited him but I believe the interview would have turned out differently had he invited Cardinal Burke!