According Gisotti, O'Malley reportedly stressed in the C9 meeting that an April meeting of the papal commission he heads will be an important opportunity to gauge progress on the summit's follow-up agenda.
At a Feb. 18 press conference with the organizing committee members, including Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Maltese Archbishop and CDF adjunct secretary Charles Scicluna, and Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, similar points were made about the limited focus and expectations for the three day-meeting.
Cupich said Monday that it is important Church leaders "focus on the the task at hand" and not "inflate expectations."
During the Monday press conference, Gisotti deflected media questions about specific abuse allegations, including one involving Vatican personnel.
"This is not the [occasion] to speak on this case or this other case," he said, insisting that the purpose of the week's summit is to address principles, not specifics.
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Archbishop Scicluna noted that questions about particular high profile cases, even after the decision to laicize Theodore McCarrick, are "legitimate."
Responding to questions about Msgr. Joseph Punderson, an official of the Apostolic Signatura - the Vatican's highest court - Scicluna said that "people need to know that what Rome asks of the local Churches, it is also ready to apply at home."
Last week, New Jersey media reported that Punderson was named among priests "credibly accused" of sexual abuse of minors in a list released by the Diocese of Trenton. Despite his role at the Apostolic Signatura he was listed by the diocese as "removed from ministry."