Chaput says Philadelphia school closings: While the clergy sexual abuse scandal has made "great harm" to the Roman Catholic Church and limited its ability to "speak with confidence in other areas," Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said fear of parochial school closures not abuse - was "the biggest problem people have contacted me about," since he arrived six weeks ago.But, Chaput told The Inquirer Editorial Board on Thursday, he won't begin charting any plan of action until he receives a report on the archdiocesan school system that is due in December.
He is "open," he said, to Gov. Corbett's proposed state-funded vouchers to help low-income families pay private school tuition. Vouchers could "help us help poor kids," he said. It was his first conversation with the board since he was installed as head of the 1.5 million-member archdiocese Sept. 8. Though he is still learning the geography of his new archdiocese - he groped momentarily to remember the name of Independence Mall - he said he was struck by how passionately local Catholics identify with their parishes and schools. He said he had not encountered that in Denver, where he was archbishop for 14 years. He added that he was eager to meet with Mayor Nutter to discuss how city schools and the archdiocese might "cooperate [on education] in ways that respect the separation of church and state." Questioned at some length about the local clergy sex-abuse scandal, the 67-year-old archbishop said it was taking longer than he expected for a special archdiocesan team to investigate allegations against 27 priests accused of inappropriate behavior with minors. His predecessor, Cardinal Justin Rigali, placed most of those priests on administrative leave in March after a grand jury accused the archdiocese of failing to investigate allegations against three dozen priests. Chaput said he did not know when he would begin to decide which priests to restore to ministry. "I will do my best to resolve it as soon as I can," but he said he had not decided whether to inform parishioners of the charges against accused priests. He raised the issue of limitation and said he was suspicious of efforts to extend the right of victims of sexual abuse to sue for assault committed decades ago. Statutes limiting the time during which legal action may be filed "is a good idea or we did," he said. Chaput says Philadelphia school closings
He is "open," he said, to Gov. Corbett's proposed state-funded vouchers to help low-income families pay private school tuition. Vouchers could "help us help poor kids," he said. It was his first conversation with the board since he was installed as head of the 1.5 million-member archdiocese Sept. 8. Though he is still learning the geography of his new archdiocese - he groped momentarily to remember the name of Independence Mall - he said he was struck by how passionately local Catholics identify with their parishes and schools. He said he had not encountered that in Denver, where he was archbishop for 14 years. He added that he was eager to meet with Mayor Nutter to discuss how city schools and the archdiocese might "cooperate [on education] in ways that respect the separation of church and state." Questioned at some length about the local clergy sex-abuse scandal, the 67-year-old archbishop said it was taking longer than he expected for a special archdiocesan team to investigate allegations against 27 priests accused of inappropriate behavior with minors. His predecessor, Cardinal Justin Rigali, placed most of those priests on administrative leave in March after a grand jury accused the archdiocese of failing to investigate allegations against three dozen priests. Chaput said he did not know when he would begin to decide which priests to restore to ministry. "I will do my best to resolve it as soon as I can," but he said he had not decided whether to inform parishioners of the charges against accused priests. He raised the issue of limitation and said he was suspicious of efforts to extend the right of victims of sexual abuse to sue for assault committed decades ago. Statutes limiting the time during which legal action may be filed "is a good idea or we did," he said. Chaput says Philadelphia school closings
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