• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori (center) participates in the opening session of the Spring General Assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops June 11 in Baltimore. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Archbishop Lori: Aspects of episcopal accountability already in place in Baltimore

June 11, 2019
By Christopher Gunty
Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Child & Youth Protection, Local News, News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

As the U.S. bishops gathered in Baltimore June 11 for their spring meeting, holding bishops accountable for their own conduct and their actions or inaction in handling clergy sexual abuse of minors was the focus of the morning presentations.

The bishops will debate and vote June 13 on three proposals regarding implementation of new law for the church declared by Pope Francis May 9, restrictions on retired bishops who were removed from office for misconduct or malfeasance, and affirming episcopal commitments.

But the bishops also heard early presentations on updating teaching on the death penalty in the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, and were briefed on efforts to reach out to people who are unaffiliated with the Catholic Church or any church.

Archbishop William E. Lori said many of the elements on episcopal accountability that have been proposed are already in place in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“These measures are all about holding ourselves accountable as bishops, making sure that we are subject to exactly the same standards and procedures as everybody else,” he said.

He noted that after the November bishops’ meeting when the conference was asked by the Vatican to hold off on voting on such measures until after a global bishops’ summit in February, he went home and asked what he and his auxiliary bishops in Baltimore could do within the current standards.

“We were able to put in a third-party reporting system that applies to myself and my auxiliary bishops, a reporting system that goes to two of the lay members of our review board who are retired judges, to the nuncio (the pope’s representative in the U.S.) and to law enforcement,” he said.

The bishops also signed the same code of conduct that other clergy and employees in the archdiocese sign, and instituted “other measures to make sure that we would get ahead of the curve. What we see now is these sorts of things being enacted, God willing, on a national level,” the archbishop said.

The involvement of the laity in these processes is vital, he said. That includes the members of the archdiocese’s Independent Review Board as well as lay staff with the necessary expertise.

Archbishop Lori said the robust question session about the accountability proposals seemed to indicate that bishops were given “an opportunity to explore areas that might need further clarification. … It’s also enlightening for all of us who are about to vote on these matters.”

Bishop Robert P. Deeley, chairman of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Governance and leader of the Diocese of Portland, Maine, said the number of questions could signal a potentially large number of amendments from the bishops before the final document is presented. However, he noted that the committee had already spent five hours the day before considering amendments submitted in advance.

“Some of what was discussed today were amendments we already looked at,” he said.

Commenting on the presentation from Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron, chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, regarding reaching out to those who have left the church, Archbishop Lori said the bishop’s talk “did my old heart a lot of good because he identified exactly what we are seeking to do in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in efforts to make missionary disciples.”

“One of the things you have to do is to clear away people’s misconceptions, deal with their problems and their worries and their questions. And in that way, you prepare the ground for the seed of faith,” the archbishop said.

He said the archdiocese’s new #IamCatholic movement, which hopes to share testimonies from people about why they are Catholic, addresses some of that need. He said it is especially helpful when young Catholics share their faith and inspire others.

“I see that right under my nose at the (Baltimore) Basilica, where the young Catholics in the basilica congregation are being encouraged to go out and to evangelize the young people in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. And it’s a wonderful thing to see that,” Archbishop Lori said.

For ongoing coverage of the bishops’ meeting, click here. 

 

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Christopher Gunty

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori and Supreme Knight Kelly meet with Pope Leo

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

  • St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Russia Ukraine Vatican peace

Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors
  • Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass
  • Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops
  • ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do
  • Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop
  • After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home
  • Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students
  • Synod office provides guidelines to help local churches, bishops implement synodality

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en