National Review Board Archives

U.S. bishops face tough questions on new abuse investigation proposals

Church in the US
Jun 11, 2019

As the U.S. Catholic bishops gathered for a closely watched meeting with the hopes of enacting new standards for bishop accountability, debate over what role lay people could be involved in their oversight dominated day one of their gathering.

Laity not playing ‘gotcha’ with bishops on abuse, review board chair says

Catholic News Service, Church in the US
Jun 5, 2019

The path to rebuilding the U.S. Church’s credibility as it emerges from the lingering clergy sexual abuse scandal rests in embracing the role of laypeople as important collaborators, said the chairman of the National Review Board.

US Bishops told response to abuse crisis is ‘incomplete’

Church in the US
Nov 13, 2018

As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) attempted to salvage its agenda following Monday’s news that the Vatican had requested a postponement of a vote on new measures of bishop accountability, Tuesday’s meeting began with a critical assessment of the current state of transparency and reform.

National Review Board chairman seeks fix to address charter ‘loophole’

Catholic News Service, Church in the US
Nov 7, 2018

The National Review Board chairman called for changes to the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” to “make it a less ambiguous document” because despite nearly every diocese meeting its standards in third-party audits, some bishops are facing scrutiny about their handling of reports of wayward priests.

Lay Catholics urged to channel anger at Church abuse crisis to reform

Catholic News Service, Church in the US
Nov 1, 2018

Although the current sexual abuse crisis in the Church is similar to what the Church faced in 2002 when reports of past abuse and cover-up came out of Boston, how Catholics are responding this time is different.

Response to sexual abuse crisis tops agenda for USCCB fall assembly

Catholic News Service, Church in the US
Oct 20, 2018

The firestorm surrounding the clergy sex abuse crisis and the way some bishops handled allegations of abuse against priests will be an important part of the agenda of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall general assembly.