SANTA ROSA, Calif., March 25 (UPI) -- A Roman Catholic bishop, who delivered one of many sermons heard around the nation last weekend condemning alleged child abuse at the hands of priests, also took the opportunity to caution the media on its coverage of the scandal.
"The smearing of all priests and the open questioning of their fidelity to their vows and solemn commitments because of the sins and crimes of the few has caused great pain," Bishop Daniel Walsh told parishioners on Sunday at St. Eugene's Cathedral in Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco.
Walsh, who became the bishop of the Santa Rosa diocese in 2000, acknowledged to his audience that the church's past response to allegations of sexual molestation was "imperfect," and added that the priesthood as a whole was recommitting itself to its vows.
The scandal, however, has also created media coverage that has further poisoned the relationship between clergy and congregation, he warned.
"The misdeeds of a few of our priests have severely injured others, and the light of the media has been focused on these," he said. "The imperfect responses of myself and other leaders in the church to these wrongs, however understandable, have been highlighted and criticized throughout the media. ... The media charges of cover-up and intimations of complicity by the bishops have created an atmosphere that erodes trust and faith."
Walsh later told the San Francisco Chronicle that sexual abuse was a tragedy that ran counter to the teachings of Jesus and that the church wanted wrongdoing exposed, however he worried that all priests were being painted with the same brush.
"I think it is become like a feeding frenzy. The media is doing its job. ... We want the truth out, not suppositions or prejudices," he told the newspaper.
Walsh said in his sermon that dealing with the molestation situation required openness that protected the rights of all involved.
"We must be honest and open in dealing with failings, preserving the rights of all involved so that justice is done for all," he said. "Sexual abuse by anyone -- but especially by priests -- runs counter to everything that Jesus stands for and is certainly most reprehensible. We must do what we can to assist victims of all kinds, especially victims of sexual abuse."
