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Letter from Bishop Wilton D. Gregory to
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re regarding the Essential Norms for
Diocesan/Eparchial Policies Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors
by Clergy or Other Church Personnel
His Eminence
Giovanni Battista Re
Prefect Congregation for
Bishops
Your Eminence,
Thank you very much for your letter of October 14, 2002, in which
you communicate to me the response of the Apostolic See the request for
recognitio by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for the
Norms approved at our Plenary Assembly in Dallas, Texas, on June 14,
2002. The Bishops of the United States are profoundly grateful to the Holy See,
both for the fraternal solicitude that has been shown to the Church in the
United States at this difficult time and for the gracious consideration that
has been given to our request.
In view of the issues that Your Eminence raises in your letter to
me regarding the best way for us to pursue effectively the recognitio of
our proposed Norms, I am happy to accept, on behalf of our Episcopal
Conference, the suggestion of the Apostolic See that a Mixed Commission be
established in order to reflect further on and consider revision of certain
aspects of the Charter accepted by the Bishops in Dallas and the Norms
proposed to the Holy See for the recognitio. I look forward to
communicating to you in the very near future the names of the four Members of
our Conference who will join the four representatives from the Dicasteries of
the Holy See that have direct competence in the matter before us.
Grateful to you, personally, Your Eminence, for your many
kindnesses to our Conference, and with renewed sentiments of esteem and
prayerful best wishes, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend
Wilton D. Gregory
Bishop of Belleville
President
October 15, 2002
National Catholic Reporter, Posted October 18,
2002
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