A thorough review

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State and national Catholic Church officials can't afford to brush aside concerns over the sexual abuse policy of the diocese of La Crosse.

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The concerns of Father James Connell involving the Catholic Diocese of La Crosse's policy on sex abuse cases cannot simply be brushed aside. Officials at the diocese and in the Vatican need to take note of those concerns and review the policy to make sure that it is in accord with church law and that it doesn't put young people at risk.

Connell, a canon lawyer and vice chancellor of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, took the courageous step this week of sending an open letter to Catholics after he had tried for three months to persuade state and national officials to change the standard, according to an article by Journal Sentinel reporter Annysa Johnson.

Connell said La Crosse's policy requires a high burden of proof that may have caused the diocese to return abusive priests to ministry, and he called on church officials there to re-examine all cases in which it was used.

At issue is the standard of proof used by La Crosse's Child Sexual Abuse Review Board in evaluating whether there is enough evidence to pursue a case against a priest or deacon. Connell argues that the La Crosse policy sets a higher standard than Vatican law does before an investigation can take place, making it more difficult for such cases to move forward.

Church officials in La Crosse and Milwaukee, including Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki, who served in La Crosse, said children in the diocese are safe. The La Crosse diocese's statement also called Connell's concerns unfounded, and that it had reviewed cases before the board but found none that was incorrectly decided, though the extent of the review was not clear.

Listecki said that Auxiliary Bishop William Callahan would review the policies when he takes over as the La Crosse bishop in August. That's a good first step.

Callahan needs to make sure that the policy is in line with church law, and that victims of sexual abuse in the diocese receive all the support and protection they deserve.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/96682439.html