George, church leaders failed flock

In Sunday's Chicago Tribune Perspective section, Eugene Kennedy could not have stated better the position of mature Catholics. As Kennedy said, church leaders chose not to be "visionary," mature and accountable for their egregious crimes against children, their families, and society in general.

Cardinal Francis George could have chosen to be a real leader by taking up the mantle of abuse victims and calling upon his brother bishops to fully accept responsibility for their part in the abuse scandal. Instead of vilifying victims and suggesting that their motives are all about money, he should behave like a priest and help them find justice.

Voice of the Faithful recently made known its desire that George not be elected leader of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops because of his failures in handling abuse cases in the Chicago Archdiocese. Knowing all this, his fellow bishops made their choice.

If George had accepted the challenge to truly lead in a new, responsible direction, Chicago Catholics would have had some measure of hope. But it is not to be. George and bishops across the country continue to pour millions of dollars into fighting victims of clergy abuse.

It is up to mature Catholics to answer to a higher authority and to hold church hierarchy accountable.

Sandra Stilling-Seehausen

President

Chicagoland Voice of the Faithful

Cary