At the request of the Vatican, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops today postponed a vote on a new code of conduct for Bishops, and on a lay commission empowered to investigate Bishops. The Vatican asked that the vote be delayed until after a worldwide meeting of church leaders planned for February.
Bishop Alfred Schlert expressed disappointment that the nation’s Bishops will not be voting this week on new policies to strengthen safeguards by holding Bishops accountable for their conduct on clergy sexual abuse of minors.
“I am optimistic that our frank discussion in Baltimore will give our Conference’s leaders the ability to strongly express the American Bishops’ desire for more accountability in their meeting with Pope Francis in February,” he said.
