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U.S. bishops' plan for handling abuse cases

(CNN) -- The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington plans to release a report Tuesday that makes recommendations on how to handle instances of priests accused of abusing minors. Below are some of those suggestions:

Proposed policy for priests

  • Remove priests who abuse in the future, or have abused more than once in the past

  • Allow priests who committed abuse once in the past to be able to remain in the ministry with counseling.

    • Proposed guidance for dioceses

  • Dioceses will report any accusation of sexual abuse of a person who is a minor to the proper authorities and cooperate in the investigation.

  • Diocesan authorities are to relieve an alleged offender promptly of his ministerial duties.

  • As a preventive measure regarding acts of sexual abuse committed in the future, even a single act of abuse of a minor will bring about a request for laicization, or defrocking.

  • Regarding acts of sexual abuse of a minor committed in the past, if the cleric is a pedophile, or if he has committed more than one act of sexual abuse of a minor, there will be a request for the cleric's laicization, or defrocking, even without his consent.

  • The diocesan review board would have to consider the ministerial status of clerics with past offenses who have been treated but not diagnosed as pedophiles and who have not committed more than one act of sexual abuse of a minor.



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