BISHOPS DEFEND STEPS TO END SEXUAL ABUSE

The nation's Roman Catholic bishops defended their efforts to put an end to the sex abuse scandals that have plagued the church for the last 18 months.  In the year since our Dallas meeting...we have [put] in place the means to assure our people that their children are safe from abuse by clergy, said Bishop Wilton Gregory of Belleville, Ill., president of the US bishops.

(St. Louis)