Philpott and Westerhorstmann assert that the Church’s efforts have fallen short in several key respects: There has not been a full authoritative account of the truth, there has been inadequate accountability for bishops and other high Church officials, and there has been little empathetic public acknowledgment of survivors of abuse on the part of the Church.

“We also took this position: that no one with a credible [abuse] allegation should ever be in public ministry,” Cardinal Gregory said on Wednesday. He added that bishops can only act on clergy abuse accusations that are credible and that they have knowledge of. “I can only act on that which I know,” he said.