Cupich named to organizing group of Vatican's February meeting on abuse crisis

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The organizing group doesn’t seem to be very globally representative. Considering all the problems in South America these days, you’d think there’d be someone from that continent. And since the African bishops basically managed to keep sexual abuse out of the documents of the recent synod on youth, a representative from that continent might also have been a good member of the organizing committee.

I have to admit that I’m not very hopeful that anything substantive will come out of this meeting.
 
. . . In June (of 2015), Francis created a church tribunal to judge bishops who fail to protect children from sexually abusive priests – a move long sought by abuse victims and their advocates.

The tribunal is not active yet . . .
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(Bold and parenthesis mine for context)


Does anyone know (and have links) regarding this “tribunal” to specifically deal with possible bad bishops if it is up and running yet?

I have read somewhere (but I did not save the link) that it hasn’t even been started yet and that it all amounted to “talk”.

It seems this “tribunal” would be key to the upcoming February meeting (because after all. It is not just priests who abuse people.
We now know there is Bishop involvement too–most obviously with the Bishop McCarrick scandal.
We also now know of many other bishops too in . . . . “failing to protect children”).

Yet if the “tribunal” is “in name only” than I won’t expect it will be a factor at the meeting.

If the “tribunal” IS in fact up and running, then I expect it to be part and parcel to the Feb. meeting.

Any thoughts or insights?
 
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Last I heard, that tribunal has still not been used despite being in existence for over three years. It has been assumed by some people that they would finally get some work with judging McCarrick, but many (including myself) are skeptical that he will ever face any kind of a formal trial or hearing in Rome. I think it’s pretty apparent that the creation of this tribunal was a PR move that didn’t and won’t amount to anything.

As for the appointment of Cardinal Cupich to the organizing group, well, that obviously does not fill one with much confidence about this meeting, and I personally had low expectations already. But at least at the meeting in February we can expect a good discussion about climate change and how there is too much plastic in the ocean.
 
CNN . . .
. . . In June (of 2015), Francis created a church tribunal to judge bishops who fail to protect children from sexually abusive priests – a move long sought by abuse victims and their advocates.

The tribunal is not active yet . . .
Click to expand...
.

Cathoholic . . .
Does anyone know (and have links) regarding this “tribunal” to specifically deal with possible bad bishops if it is up and running yet?

I have read somewhere (but I did not save the link) that it hasn’t even been started yet and that it all amounted to “talk”.

It seems this “tribunal” would be key . . .

. . . Any thoughts or insights?
Click to expand...
.

Weserthy . . .
Last I heard, that tribunal has still not been used despite being in existence for over three years. It has been assumed by some people that they would finally get some work with judging McCarrick, but many (including myself) are skeptical that he will ever face any kind of a formal trial or hearing in Rome. I think it’s pretty apparent that the creation of this tribunal was a PR move . . .
Click to expand...
.

Thank you for the response Weserthy.

God bless.

Cathoholic
 
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From our Holy Father Pope Francis from late 2016 . . . .
. . . We hear these children and their cries of pain; we also hear the cry of the Church our Mother, who weeps not only for the pain caused to her youngest sons and daughters, but also because she recognizes the sins of some of her members: the sufferings, the experiences and the pain of minors who were abused sexually by priests. It is a sin that shames us. Persons responsible for the protection of those children destroyed their dignity. We regret this deeply and we beg forgiveness. We join in the pain of the victims and weep for this sin. The sin of what happened, the sin of failing to help, the sin of covering up and denial, the sin of the abuse of power. The Church also weeps bitterly over this sin of her sons and she asks forgiveness. Today, as we commemorate the feast of the Holy Innocents, I would like us to renew our complete commitment to ensuring that these atrocities will no longer take place in our midst. Let us find the courage needed to take all necessary measures and to protect in every way the lives of our children, so that such crimes may never be repeated. In this area, let us adhere, clearly and faithfully, to “zero tolerance”.
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(Emphasis mine)

https://w2.vatican.va/content/franc.../papa-francesco_20161228_santi-innocenti.html
 
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Tone deaf? I think that is pretty optimistic. Pope Francis hasn’t cared one bit about his tone toward American clerical sex scandals. More like this is confirmation that the Feb meeting is a sham. Cupich was picked because he will go along with whatever the Pope wants. Which is not transparency.

There will be a whole lot of activity with no substance to show for it. We will hear a whole lot of platitudes about feeling sorry for the victims, and a committee will be set up to review Bishops, and this committee will subsequently never meet.
 
FirstFiveEighth said:
Tone deaf? I think that is pretty optimistic. Pope Francis hasn’t cared one bit about his tone toward American clerical sex scandals. More like this is confirmation that the Feb meeting is a sham. Cupich was picked because he will go along with whatever the Pope wants. Which is not transparency.

There will be a whole lot of activity with no substance to show for it. We will hear a whole lot of platitudes about feeling sorry for the victims, and a committee will be set up to review Bishops, and this committee will subsequently never meet.
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^This. It will be all talk, no action. Like always.

I’m fed up.
 
Yep, they appear to simply not care about sexual abuse of children. Very sad.
 
This a terrible, yet well calculated move by Pope Francis. Cupich has a horrible track record on supporting anything that upholds Catholic orthodoxy and teachings. Cupich has shown himself to be Pope Francis’ number one supporter here in the US, so it doesn’t come as a surprise.

I think Cupich is going to run point here in the US for much of what takes place come February. He’ll stress how important it is to protect the children and then he’ll drive home the fact that we as a whole will need to move forward for the sake of unity as quickly as possible. He’ll divert our attention to social justice issues and eventually he’ll be rewarded for his support.
 
I wonder if the pessimism expressed here (which I share) about the outcomes of this meeting is microcosmic of the faithful at large?
 
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I doubt that the faithful at large are even aware that a meeting is upcoming, let alone who is organizing it. It always surprises me when I talk with Catholics who I think know what’s going on and I’ll mention some Catholic news and they are completely unaware of it.
 
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