'Accountability' web site launched

Catholic New Times, Feb 8, 2004

BishopAccountability.org, the largest source on the Internet of information about the Catholic sexual abuse crisis and the bishops' responsibility for it has been launched. The website, a veritable treasure trove and archive for journalists and church activists, includes all four grand jury/Attorney General reports in the U.S., the key Vatican documents, and the 9,000-page archive released by the New Hampshire Attorney General, available on-line.

One of the features is the 2003 "Year in Review", and the January 25, 2004 "Fireside Chat", which feature panelists Sue Archibald, Jason Berry, David Clohessy, Tom Doyle, and Richard Sipe--all longtime activists in this area. The site announced its commitment to post the entire 45,000-page archive of released Boston archdiocesan files, beginning with a legal memorandum that provides an overview of the documents.

The web site is the latest attempt at "accountability", say its authors. "It is a matter of public record that U.S. bishops have knowingly transferred thousands of abusive priests into unsuspecting parishes and dioceses, placing fear of "scandal" ahead of the welfare of children. The bishops themselves have apologized for what they call their "mistake," but they say nothing about the crucial actions that constitute accountability.

According to the site "The account has not come from the bishops. Indeed, during this 60-year crisis they have made every effort to conceal the truth from parishioners, from victims with whom they negotiated settlements, and sometimes even from each other. In their new era of embarrassed transparency, many of them are fighting the publication of accused priests' names, and even the production of legally subpoenaed files. In our view, all diocesan and conference files relating to the crisis should be made public, so that a full accounting may begin. Every day that the bishops delay, their "moral authority" weakens further, and the damage that they have done to the Catholic church increases."