Pope Francis was asked about the apparent lack of transparency when it comes to accusations against bishops, compared with the handling of accusations against priests. The pope called for “equal transparency” going forward, adding that “if there is less transparency, it is a mistake. The Church takes responsibility for its own sin, and we go forward, sinners, trusting in the mercy of God."

“We understand that for many, further measures are needed such as concrete steps toward greater accountability, due process for the accused and pathways to healing for those rightfully removed from ministry.”

The bishops’ conference is not the pastor; the pastor is the bishop. The bishops’ conference is there to bring together the bishops, to work together, to discuss issues, to make pastoral plans. But each bishop is a pastor. Let us not dissolve the power of the bishop by reducing it to the power of the bishops’ conference. Jesus did not create bishops’ conferences. Jesus created bishops, and each bishop is pastor of his people.

It allows people who were over 18 years of age when they experienced sexual abuse to have a one year window of opportunity to file a claim against their alleged abuser in civil court. They can bring legal action even if the statute of limitations for the crime has expired.

California Assembly Bill 218, temporarily set aside the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse victims to file claims. It opened up a three-year window for victims abused in the 70s, 60s and earlier to sue and triggered a flood of high-profile lawsuits. That look-back window is slated to close on Dec. 31, 2022.

Though a bishop can work hard to improve the trust with his priests, there is “nothing you really can do” about the one-and-done nature of abuse accusations, the bishop conceded. The archbishop said that if “it’s clear that he’s innocent, and he’s been a respected pastor his whole life … (the priest’s bishop) has to protect his reputation … even despite the vitriol he’s going to receive. I think that that’s one thing that can help to rebuild trust with the priests.”

The move comes "following completion of a thorough investigation," according to a statement released Friday morning by the Diocese. A private investigator interviewed 22 persons, including Father, and thoroughly reviewed all the evidence available. The investigator ultimately determined that the allegation was not credible."

"So long as the church is open and transparent, it will say to victims, ‘We appreciate you, your story matters, you have people that have your back,’ and I think it will ultimately lead to healing,” the Attorney General, who is a Catholic, said.

The report relied on confidential grand jury testimony and accused 158 priests of abuse, 43 of whom had not been previously identified in public, and it accuses officials who oversaw the priests of not doing enough to protect victims. Lawyers representing anonymous clients filed paperwork Monday to keep those proceedings around the release of the report — and potentially the entire report — secret because their clients are persons named in the report who are not accused of sexual abuse.

"As Bishop, I am publicly releasing the names of clergy with substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse. This list of names is the result of three separate clergy file reviews (including a security consultant firm), more than a year of meetings, multiple sessions with the Diocesan Review Board, and much prayer and discernment. As this list is made public . . . most of the allegations in the list are more than 30 years old."

The due process rights of priests have long been a problem, and the latest case to demonstrate this verity proves just how serious the problem is. The priest was immediately removed from ministry—before any evidence of wrongdoing—and it took two years before he was cleared by the diocese. It is not a sign of virtue that the Catholic Church treats priests as guilty until proven innocent. It is a sign of injustice.

“I think the important part of all of this is that we as American citizens trust in the scales of justice of our judicial system, and I am grateful and relieved for Father that there has been this outcome…I think one of the things that we are always concerned about as a church is to make sure there is never any kind of presumption around guilt or innocence,” the bishop said.

Pope Francis has said there is no turning back from “irreversible” steps designed to enhance safeguards against clergy child sexual abuse and has said the church has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy toward offenders in the priesthood and the hierarchy. His push for reforms has featured broadening the church’s definition of sexual crimes, requiring nuns and priests to inform their superiors of abuse allegations, holding bishops and other prelates to account for their handling of instances of abuse, and empowering the Vatican’s own commission that deals with cases of sexual abuse, elevating its status and clout.

US Catholics now knew that no diocese in their country was spared. Clergy sex abuse had happened -- and was still happening (and is still happening today) -- everywhere. The bishops held emergency meetings and imposed "zero tolerance" (which is actually "one strike and you're out", even for just a "check swing") on priests (but not themselves, the bishops) who were credibly accused of abusing a minor.

To use a small indicator of behavior change, it is fair to say that it would be rare for a priest in the U.S. to get away with breaching safeguarding guidelines by, for instance, driving alone in a car with a minor for too long. Training and heightened expectations would raise red flags and an intervention would take place as a matter of course.

In the period between 1965 and 1982, the majority of victims were male adolescents. However, the numbers changed later when female altar servers were introduced . . . “In the formation setting, the presence of women as counselors, as teachers, and formators is necessary to bring about in males training for the priesthood or religious life a much more mature and realistic image and experience of this mysterious human being that is called a woman. Many who trained as seminarians years ago never got any chance to really interact with women in a meaningful way.” Father Hans Zollner

Ultimately, the practice of publicly listing the names of clerics who have been accused of abuse must be carefully weighed against the clerics' legal and natural right to a good reputation. It is essential to weigh carefully many factors when determining what is demanded by the need for transparency, especially such considerations as the right to a good reputation (bona fama), the definition of credibility, the utility of listing names of the deceased, and the necessity of repairing the reputation of those clerics who have been wrongfully accused.