Thread by @jdflynn

Bishops take up sex abuse crisis discussion again.
#USCCB18

+@ArchbishopOKC: -I am concerned about the vote not going forward.
-I want to thank USCCB staff for the enriching prayer day, and I am grateful for NAC and NRB presentations, "among the richest I have experienced in my 14 years as a bishop."

#USCCB18

+@ArchbishopOKC:
-We need guidance on what "credible" and other such terms mean, as we try to be consistent and examine sexual abuse cases.
#USCCB18

+@BishopBurbidge: Lay people have asked what they can do to help the Church, but said they do not feel equipped. Lay people also don't know how many things we do: screen seminarians, support victims, etc. These things are well received- we need to get this information out better.

+@BishopBurbidge: I would like to encourage our communications team to seriously consider that we engage additional expertise to educate the faithful on what we do well on these matter, and on what needs to be done.
#USCCB18

+Vann:
Speaking as a bishop, pastor, canonist:
-straw vote needed on proposals
-McCarrick concern is everywhere. ppl feel betrated. most ppl I speak to think he needs to be laicized.
#USCCB18

+Christensen of Superior: Vatican decision to suspend USCCB vote seemed to undermine subsidiarty, a principle important to #PopeFrancis. USCCB leadership has been "blocked" at Holy See all summer. But we must remember subsidiarity and communion.

+Christensen: Communion requires our respect for the Holy See. But we also have to remember how long it takes at the Holy See to get things. The Feb meeting might result in months of study + "make it impossible for this body to talk in March or even in June about what we can do."

+Christensen: All the more important for us to vote today as if we were voting on a policy. Our own credibility is so diminished right now, that even the racism document we passed today will be "eclipsed" by this issue. We need to do something now.
#USCCB18

+@BishopStika: Protestors asked how they can believe me when we are releasing names now and not 5 or more years ago. Ppl think we are releasing names now because we are forced to do it by the media. Our credibility has not been proven b/c we seem forced to act by media.
#USCCB18

+Stika: "In Knoxville, we are almost 4% Catholic. We are getting ready to take over the South!" But I hear from ppl in RCIa that ppl get "flack" from family members for converting to Catholicism, b/c of McCarrick and its connection to Vigano letters.

+Stika: ppl are using McCarrick and Vigano letter "as ammunition" against those who are converting to Catholicism. "It's McCarrick and the Vigano letter and who's telling the truth."

NB: I don't know if he means the letter itself, or what it alleges. Not completely clear to me.

+@BpOlsonFW: We end where we begin. So much of the outrage is "prompted by the injustice that our ppl have experienced at the hands of predators, outrage over the treatment of our seminarians, our priests, who were entrusted to the care of frmr C. McCarrick.

+Olson: "Trust was not only violated, but was ignored by others who were responsible for paying attention." Holy See will juridically address McCarrick. USCCB has yet to address McCarrick. Do we use this process to try to avoid our responsibilities?

+Olson: McCarrick is not welcome at this conference. "We should say that, for his sake, and out of respect for those whom he harmed."
#USCCB18

+Olson: Likewise, not one of us or this body has repudiated Vigano's call for the Holy Father's resignation. Not one of us. We are entrusted with Catholic unity. We have yet to do something about that as a body.

+Olson: "I suggest that we disinvite McCarrick, and also formally reaffirm our support for the Holy Father in his Petrine ministry, that is essential and founded by Christ."
(met with some applause)

+Hartmayer of Savannah: Thank you, for an excellent meeting. I also would like to support the expansion of the metropolitan's authority to review the behavior of bps, and would suggest that 3 other bps.

+Hartmayer:
"We deserve to be judged by a jury of our peers so to speak. There is no one who understands a bishop so much as another bishop." We as bishops owe "the courtesy of listening to a brother bishop who has misbehaved in some way."
#USCCB18

+Knestout: (was a priest of Washington and then an aux bp there): "I'm heartbroken about what has happened there...and the damage done to so many victims."
#USCCB18

+Knestout says the Humanae Vitae crisis 50 years ago in the ADW has some similarities to what is happening now. The crisis he refers to is the rejection of the encyclical on birth control led by CUA theologian Fr. Charlie Curran

That rejection caused turmoil in the diocese, and, as +Knestout says, "unfolded for years to come."
+Knestout says there are common streams, having to do with teaching, authority, the Holy Father, bishops, priest and laity.

+Knestout is technically out of time, but, given the vulnerability with which he is speaking, +DiNardo seems to be allowing him to continue. (bishops are limited to 5 minutes for interventions.)

+Knestout says bps should respond with a reaffirmation of their commitment to the dignity of human life, to recognize spiritual dimensions of things, to remember the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The feasts of Sacred Heary and IHM, he says, bracketed the summer

+Liam Cary of Baker, Oregon: Focus on the +McCarrick situation cast light on the whole episcopal problem in this country. We need to know not only the McCarrick situation, but the episcopal situation. Let's commission an independent study on sexual abuse by bps over 50 years

+Cary: With regard to sexual abuse by bishops, USCCB should investigate: "Where, when, and what financial cost to the people of their diocese?"
Bishops should find the truth America desperately needs.

+Cary: +McCarrick has offended the faithful of the Church in the US, he has offended victims, he has offended priests and bps. "He has undermined our Eucharistic unity and our apostolic integrity."

+Cary:
McCarrick undermined Eucharistic unity that by corrupting seminarians- those preparing for the altar, and priests who serve at the altar.
Mccarrick undermined apostolic integrity b/c people think that every bishop must have known about this,.
#USCCB18

+Cary: "What are people to make of our silence? Should it lead them to think we do not take shame seriously?"
"How can we leave our brother to the mercy of God if we leave unspoken the demands of his justice?"
#USCCB18

+Cary: "If McCarrick were to come to this microphone would he be allowed to speak" As a conference we have not ruled otherwise.

"There will be no open mic for those who suffered at his hand."
(met with applause)
#USCCB18

+@BishopOlmsted: The Holy Spirit is among us. The world is deeply wounded b/c of sin. We should have no doubt that the Lord Jesus has asked us to witness to him know.

+Olmsted:
"Here and now are ppl angry, confused, embarrassed, and disgusted....at the same time, the faithful are becoming more faithful, but others are drifting away." #USCCB18

+Olmsted: when we lose confidence in the teachings of the Church, that may have some relevance to where we bishops are today.

#USCCB18

+Olmsted: those most concerned are between 21-30, and 51-70, based on survey.
Millenials love our Catholic faith and strive to be faithful. We owe it to our young people to be clear witnesses to Christ, no matter what else happens.

#USCCB18

+Etienne: The sole competent authority to discipline and remove bps is the Holy Father. Our discussion the past few days has been trying to navigate that authority and reality. We need the leadership of this conference to continue deliberating with the Holy See on this matter.

+Etienne: we are at a point that demands action by our conference and by the Holy See.
-Could the USCCB make some clear statement of our needs to the Holy See. It would be shared with the public, and name the clear and urgent desire we have for the same of the Church?

#USCCB18

+Etienne: the heart of our life as bishops is the heart of Jesus Christ. We must preserve and promote ecclesial communion among ourselves, our priests, and the broader Church. When the Father looks on this assembly, he sees one priest, his son, Jesus Christ.
#USCCB18

+Etienne: By grace, we will find our way, if we commit to prayer, walking with Christ, and accompanying our people.
#USCCB18

+Coerver of Lubbock: I'd like to offer my own "position statement." He is now reading a statement that says:
-bps are grateful for Holy Father giving opportunity to discern further by suspending vote.
-bps are grateful that McCarrick is living in seclusion.

+Coerver's proposal continued:
-bps of USCCB see two options- metropolitan review board (which has emerged during this discussion) or independent lay review board.

(Met with applause.)

It's lunchtime!
After lunch, bps might go to executive session. If they do, I won't be able to live-tweet. (BUT THEORETICALLY A BISHOP COULD!)