Atlanta, Ga., Jun 14, 2012 / 15:35 pm
The Catholic Church in the U.S. has made significant improvements in preventing and addressing clergy sexual abuse and should continue its work to increase transparency, trust and accountability, according to a new report.
Al Notzon III, chair of the National Review Board that has helped advise the U.S. bishops on clergy sex abuse, said that there has been "striking improvement" and "children are safer now" than they were several years ago. However, there is still work to do in order to "protect children and restore trust," he said.
Notzon spoke to the U.S. bishops gathered at their spring meeting in Atlanta, Ga. on June 13.
He delivered a 10 year progress report on the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was adopted by the bishops in Dallas in 2002 as part of their response to the sexual abuse scandal.