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Call for a commission to clean up 'the sex abuse mess'

by Thomas C. Fox

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tfox@ncronline.org

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April 13, 2010

Could an independent commission clean up 'the clergy sex abuse mess'?

Jesuit Father -- and sometime NCR contributor -- Raymond Schroth offered the idea in an online column New Jersey Star Ledger last week and the idea was seconded in an op-ed column in the Washington Post guest column by retired attorny Gerald T. Slevin today.

But what if the Pope does not decide to set up such a commission?

Slevin writes:

If the pope does not do this, concerned Catholics are expected then to set up the commission themselves and invite the pope to appoint two observers. The commission would be expected to accept by e-mail serious comments from all people. The commission would by August make its public recommendations for papal action and implementation by October. If papal action is not forthcoming by then, the commission would be expected to request the pope and bishops to call for an ecumenical council (Vatican III) to begin in November and to complete its work by mid-December. If neither the pope nor the council act timely, interested Catholics are expected by grassroots efforts continually to call upon their fellow Catholics worldwide to urge the pope and the bishops to adopt the commissions' recommendations promptly.

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