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DiNardo, of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, has asked for the meeting with Pope Francis while the Catholic Church in the United States is facing sexual abuse scandals on clergy on several fronts. The spokesman said DiNardo was not available to comment.
The Vatican confirmed the meeting, which will also be attended by Archbishop Jose Gomez, Vice President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States and Bishop Brian Bransfield, Secretary General of the Conference. O & # 39; Malley is president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
In a letter dated August 16, DiNardo called for a meeting with the pope following allegations that a former American cardinal, Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, has sexually assaulted seminarians and an altar. McCarrick denied the accusations about the altar and did not respond to the allegations concerning the seminarians.
These allegations, along with an explosive letter from a formal papal diplomat, raised serious questions among senior Church officials as to why McCarrick was allowed to rise in the ranks of the Church, as well as the sordid accusations.
These reports add to a 900-page survey report released last month by a grand jury in Pennsylvania that more than 300 priests have sexually abused more than 1,000 children in six dioceses since 1947. .
In DiNardo's public letter, he stated that the executive committee of bishops had three objectives: to open an inquiry "on issues surrounding" McCarrick; open "new and confidential channels" to report complaints about bishops' mistakes; and advocate for more effective ways to resolve future complaints.
"We have already begun to develop a concrete plan to achieve these goals, based on consultations with experts, lay people and clergy, as well as the Vatican," DiNardo said in the letter of 16 August . "In addition, I will go to Rome to present these objectives and criteria to the Holy See and to encourage other concrete measures based on these goals."
Some of the steps that DiNardo is undertaking – such as an "apostolic visit", a Vatican-led survey on McCarrick – require the Vatican's approval. DiNardo said that lay people should also be involved in the investigation.
The American bishops will then meet as a body in November in Baltimore, where they should debate and vote on DiNardo's plans.
