Only one diocese in America declines to take part in the USCCB’s annual audit on compliance with the so-called “Dallas Charter”, which was created in the wake of the 2002 sex abuse crisis.

And this week, opposing sides staged two small protests over that decision.

From the Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska:

Forty-four Catholics gathered in front of the Lincoln Diocese on Wednesday evening — divided by a public sidewalk and their convictions.

On one side stood 16 members of Call to Action Nebraska, a group of Catholics calling for “transparency” and urging Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz to participate in the annual sex abuse audits conducted by the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Lincoln Diocese is the only one in the United States that refuses to participate in the audit system established in 2002 to address the issues of sexual abuse of children by clergy.

Meanwhile, across the sidewalk, on the front lawn of the Catholic Chancery, stood 28 other Catholics, holding sheets of paper printed with the words “We support our bishop” and “We love our bishop.”

Separately, they prayed and sang hymns — neither side’s voices overpowering the other’s in the gusty winds. Some Bruskewitz supporters said they had no idea why Call to Action members had gathered on Wednesday but, regardless, they want people to know they do not consider Call to Action members Catholic.

Mary Quintero, a supporter of the bishop’s, called over to the other group and asked Call to Action members “to come home.”

“It’s a short walk to home,” Quintero urged.

But the Call To Action members shook their heads.

“We were told we weren’t welcome,” Patty Hawk explained.

Call to Action Catholics and the Lincoln Diocese differ on several issues, including the role of women in the church and the freedom to express opinions different from those of Bruskewitz.

But Wednesday’s gathering was to reiterate the call they have made almost yearly since 2002, when the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops issued its Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The charter outlines 17 areas in which the church must respond to allegations of sexual abuse, promote healing and reconciliation of victims, ensure accountability and protect children in the future.

Within the charter are 13 “essential norms” that have been approved by the Vatican and are law for all Catholic churches in the United States. The essential norms outline what churches must do to protect children and address allegations of sexual abuse as soon as they arise. The annual audits check church compliance in 13 of the 17 areas (the other four areas are considered administrative matters left to individual dioceses).

The Lincoln Diocese participated in the first audit in 2002 — which primarily set the groundwork for handling sex abuse accusations in the future — requiring churches to have a written policy on sexual abuse filed with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“The Diocese of Lincoln has not participated in the audit process since,” said Teresa Kettelkamp, executive director of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection within the U.S. conference of bishops in Washington, D.C. Subsequent audits have looked at compliance with the charter, including the number and nature of sexual abuse allegations for the previous year.

Of the 195 dioceses and eparchies (dioceses unique to certain ethnicities), six refused to participate in the 2009 audit process. Lincoln was the only diocese to do so; the other five groups were eparchies with ethnic churches across the United States.

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