NEW YORK (NY)
New York Times
By DANIEL J. WAKIN
year after America’s Roman Catholic bishops promised a new openness in addressing a sexual abuse scandal, Cardinal Edward M. Egan has declared that he will not publicly disclose the outcome of the internal investigations of New York Archdiocese priests accused of molesting minors.
The cardinal said in a private meeting last month with the archdiocesan priests’ council that he would remain silent on the fate of 13 men suspended since April 2002. A spokesman for the cardinal confirmed the policy yesterday.
“If it becomes public, that’s fine, but we will not be the ones to make it public,” said the spokesman, Joseph Zwilling.
After local prosecutors opted not to charge 12 of the priests — one is still under review — a lay review board appointed by Cardinal Egan took up their cases. The cardinal has said that after hearing the board’s recommendation, he will decide the suspended priest’s cases, which could mean returning them to the ministry or barring them for life.
