Tornado Alley (PROG)

[F6]

(COMTEX) B: New Vatican Enforcer Criticized Over Abuse ( AP Online )

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2005 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Archbishop William
Levada, who catapulted Friday into the most influential Vatican post ever held
by an American, has a track record of upholding Roman Catholic policies while
deftly handling controversy.

But his appointment as the chief enforcer of church doctrine was sharply
criticized by clerical sex abuse victims, who say he's done a poor job of
dealing with the crisis. Levada countered that his experience with the issue is
an advantage for the church.

The 68-year-old leader of the San Francisco Archdiocese was named by longtime
friend Pope Benedict XVI as his own replacement leading the powerful
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. [F6 note -- the good folks who
brought us the Inquisition]

The congregation is responsible for policing and enforcing church doctrine.
Among other things, it examines writings contradicting church teachings and
crimes against faith, morality and the sacraments.

It also reviews all sex abuse claims against clergy, to see whether a priest
should be forced out, given a church trial or found innocent.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Levada has been "slow to
act, harsh to victims and committed to secrecy" in responding to molestation
claims.

Last year, James Jenkins, chairman of a watchdog panel Levada formed to review
claims against priests in San Francisco, resigned in protest.

"It's what (Levada) calls an independent review board. I believe it's
compromised. We were manipulated," Jenkins said Friday. "What started out as a
good faith effort devolved into something that was nothing more than an
elaborate public relations scheme."

Levada called the criticism "off the mark."

"Any reports I have read from this organization, SNAP, are consistent with their
policy of trying to accuse the bishops and me of malfeasance. It's simply
incorrect and false," he said.

"It is precisely the knowledge of our present situation in this terrible issue
of sex abuse that's so important for the prefect of the congregation now
responsible for making sure that these things are handled in the proper manner."

Levada served on the commission of U.S. bishops and Vatican officials who
oversaw revisions to the discipline plan the American bishops had adopted for
sexually abusive priests in 2002, with changes meant to protect clergy due
process rights.

Leader of the San Francisco Archdiocese since 1995 and the Archdiocese of
Portland, Ore., before that, Levada was credited by Catholic experts Friday with
brokering deals on thorny issues that upheld orthodox church teaching without
creating controversy.

"Certainly, he's a conservative, but he knows what battles to pick," said David
Gibson, a former Vatican radio newsman and author of "The Coming Catholic
Church." "I think there's a pragmatism that comes with pastoral experience."

Levada served on a task force formed by the U.S. bishops to address the debate
that erupted last year over whether Catholic politicians who support abortion
rights should receive Communion. That panel left the decision up to individual
bishops.

Levada issued a nuanced statement saying parishioners must accept Catholic
teaching that abortion and euthanasia are evil to be in full communion with the
church. But he did not say directly that he would deny the sacrament to
dissenting politicians.

In 1997, he reached a compromise with then-Mayor Willie Brown over a local
domestic partner law under which Catholic Charities was required to provide
health insurance and other spousal benefits to gay and unmarried partners of its
employees.

Levada sidestepped the gay issue by emphasizing that health coverage should be
available to everyone, and helped convince the city to broaden the requirement
so that any member of a household - including blood relatives - could receive
benefits.

Some conservatives were unhappy about that deal but he also has been praised for
his position on other issues.

In a 1994 paper, Levada took a dim view of the pick-and-choose attitude of many
Catholics toward church teaching. "Such a 'cafeteria' approach to the faith has
no basis in Scripture or the church's tradition," he wrote.

Levada was the only American on the seven-bishop editorial committee that
produced the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, a guide to Catholic beliefs.

Catholics for the Common Good, a local group that supports church social
teachings, praised Levada on Friday for taking courageous stands in a city
"where the church is deeply opposed and is frequently openly mocked and abused."

After he met with Benedict on May 3, there was widespread speculation that
Levada would take over as prefect. He said Friday when Benedict offered him the
job in his office that day, his tongue-in-cheek response was "Oh, Holy Father,
not me."

He worked with then-Cardinal Ratzinger briefly when he served as a staff member
at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1976 to 1982. He's also
been a member of the congregation since 2000.

"No doubt his choice of me is due in part to my familiarity with the work of the
congregation," Levada said. "His choice is also a tribute to the church in the
United States and a recognition of our important contribution to the work of the
universal church."

Levada's resignation in San Francisco is effective Aug. 17, his 10th anniversary
in the position.

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On the Net:

http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/

By KIM CURTIS
Associated Press Writer

Copyright 2005 Associated Press, All rights reserved

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