DALLAS (Reuters) - U.S. Catholic bishops are close to adopting a "zero tolerance" policy that would defrock any priest who ever sexually molested a minor, a U.S. bishop said on Thursday, reflecting a tough stance in the face of mounting public outrage at sex abuse in the church.
"The mood is very strongly in that direction," said Bishop George Niederauer of Salt Lake City. "You'll find the draft is more strongly in that direction."
Niederauer, who is a member of the committee charged with drafting a national policy for handling pedophile priests, cautioned there was no final consensus yet. The committee has at least one more meeting at midday, Niederauer said.
An earlier draft of the policy would have removed anyone who abused a child from now on, but left room for some past offenders to remain priests under some restrictions.
The policy was drafted over the last few months amid the scandal rocking the church over pedophile priests that started with the trial of a single cleric in Boston in January and spread around the country and the world.
The scandal has cost four U.S. bishops and about 250 priests their jobs. Bishops in Poland, Ireland, Africa, Canada and Australia have also been forced to quit because of their involvement in the crisis.
As the extent of the problem emerged, U.S. Catholics were indignant over what appeared to be a pattern of shielding priests accused of abusing minors and in effect putting children at risk of further abuse. Internal documents show bishops moved priests from parish to parish without warning people their new priest had a history of abuse.
NO 'ZERO TOLERANCE' BUZZ
The bishop said those pushing for the "zero tolerance, past present and future" were citing a statement in April by Pope John Paul II, which called pedophilia a crime and "an appalling sin in the eyes of God."
"People need to know that there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young," the pope said.
The pope made the statement to U.S. Cardinals attending an extraordinary meeting in Rome to address the scandal afflicting the Church. While he also urged U.S. bishops to heed the "power of Christian conversion" that can change a person, Niederauer said the stricter approach was winning out.
"The committee has been strongly impressed by how many voices are being raised saying that the pope's words must be strictly interpreted," Niederauer told Reuters.
He said that while bishops had been moved by stories of abuse victims and was mindful of the storm of controversy surrounding the issue, it was the pope's guidance and not "a zero tolerance buzz" that they were relying on for justification.
He said the committee was also going to insert language safeguarding the presumption of innocence and ensuring that due process was respected.
"An accusation against someone is not enough to remove them from the priesthood," Niederauer said. "It must be a proven act to act upon it."
'PROFOUND APOLOGY' OFFERED
There was also discussion of what to do with defrocked priests. Once ordained, a priest is always a priest, even if he is defrocked and stripped of the right to a ministry. The Church retains responsibility for these priests, which Catholics believe are part of the "body of Christ."
In a speech formally opening the meeting, Bishop Wilton Gregory acknowledged the faithful had lost confidence in U.S. Church leaders and that they would need to work hard to regain it.
"The crisis, in truth, is about a profound loss of confidence by the faithful in our leadership as shepherds, because of our failures in addressing the crime of the sexual abuse of children and young people by priests and church personnel," Gregory said.
The speech was notable for its apologies to victims, their parents and priests not guilty of pedophilia, Gregory said the church needed a healing reconciliation.
"In my own name and in the name of all the bishops, I express the most profound apology to each of you who have suffered sexual abuse by a priest or another official of the Church," Gregory said.
"I am deeply and will be forever sorry for the harm you have suffered. We ask your forgiveness.