Archbishop can't promise 'unsettling news' will stop

ST. LOUIS -- Addressing the sex-abuse scandal that has rippled through the nation's Catholic Church in recent weeks, Archbishop Justin Rigali said he can't promise that there won't be any more "unsettling news."

The Archdiocese of St. Louis, the nation's third-oldest and one of its largest, so far has removed two priests for allegations of sexually abusing children. Another priest was removed after the FBI seized his computer in a child pornography investigation.

The Rev. John Hess' computer was taken Wednesday from the north St. Louis County's Most Sacred Heart Church, where Rigali on Saturday made his first public appearance to address the scandal.

Rigali said it is possible that more allegations against priests could surface.

"But I can assure you that we will promptly and effectively deal with any new information which we may receive," he told hundreds of people gathered at the Florissant church.

Apologized at Mass

At the beginning of the hourlong Mass, Rigali asked parishioners to pray for Hess. He later gave a 10-minute address to the congregation that touched on the other cases. He read from a letter that will be recounted at Mass on Sunday in all the archdiocese's parishes.

Rigali apologized to church members "for any action by any priest which has caused pain or harm to anyone." Rigali said the safety of children is "our highest priority."

He also outlined the archdiocese's tougher, week-old policy. It calls for removing priests accused of sexual abuse and for not allowing any priest with a past substantiated allegation of abuse to return to a parish. Rigali said the archdiocese is committed to reviewing and revising the policy "as our understanding continues to evolve."

He's called a meeting for Tuesday for all priests in the archdiocese to discuss the abuse issues.

Rigali had not spoken publicly about the abuse cases before Saturday.

Rigali vowed "to be honest and candid about these issues" with the community, but he added that "we will not always be able to provide all the information that some people may seek" in order to protect the rights of priests who have been accused of sexual abuse.

Some parishioners at Sacred Heart said they were thankful for Rigali's remarks.

"It was a very honest, open approach," said Joice O'Hare, 73, of Florissant. "He's trying to help us heal at this time."