Priests fault Egan for his treatment of accused clerics

In a rare challenge, 74 priests of the Archdiocese of New York indirectly assailed Cardinal Edward M. Egan for failing to support their brother priests accused of sexual abuse, and called for a face-to-face meeting.

“We need to tell you again what you already know; the morale of the New York presbyterate is at an all-time low,” the priests said in a petition to the cardinal. The reason, they said, is that the propositions of church law and Pope John Paul II’s teachings on a bishop’s care of his priests “have not been done.”

Accused priest gets support

Msgr. Charles M. Kavanagh may be facing banishment from the priesthood over a sexual abuse allegation. But if he goes, it will not be quietly.

Yesterday, he bathed in a sea of love from nearly 300 friends, former parishioners and family members who came to a banquet hall in the Bronx to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination.

Join our mailing list to receive more stories like this delivered daily!
By filling out the form above, you will be signed up to receive Beliefnet's Daily Bible Reading newsletter and special partner offers. You may opt-out any time.
More from Beliefnet and our partners