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CANON LAW QUESTIONS
1. Should the bishop investigate the incident?
2. Does he have an obligation to conduct an investigation?
3. Does Canon Law provide a format for any type of investigation?
4. Is it necessary that an investigation preceed the Bishop s confrontation
of the Cleric?
5. If there is a confrontation, are there any canonical procedures
that should or must be followed?
6. If the Priest admits the allegations, and he is the only priest
in the parish, how should the Bishop proceed?
Missing 7-16 .
Is the Bishop canonically responsible for the Priest s support while
he is suspended? If he is living in another diocese? If he is laicized?
17. Is such a priest suspected of any canonical delicts and liable
to canonical penalties?
18. Does tean that we are dealing with thehe Bishop have any canonical/moral/pastoral obligations
toward the victims and their families?
19. Should the Bishop inform the Metropolitan and/or the Apostolic
pro-Nuncio?
20. Does the canon law clearly define the Bishop s relationship to
his Priests and Deacons (permanent and transient)?
21. What will the civil law perceive this relationship to be, based
on ecclesiastical documentation available to the courts?
22. Should an expert in canon law be retained to assist in the case,
possibly by helping prepare witnesses or appearing as an expert witness
himself?
23. Where can such a canonical expert be found? Should he be affiliated
with the NCCB, Nunciature, Holy See, etc.?
24. Does the law provide
for any general method of vigilance over the activities of Priests
and other church employees?
25. Does the law provide for any method of investigation and consequent
action in cases of complaints of misconduct?
26. Is there a canonical entity known as the Roman Catholic Church
in the United States?
27. If a class action were so filed, would the National Bishops' Conference
qualify as the canonical entity?
28. What is the canonical relationship of each Diocese and its Bishop
to other ecclesiastical entities such as the Metropolitan See and
Archbishop; the National Conference of Catholic Bishops; the United
States Catholic Conference; the Apostolic Nunciature and the Pro-Nuncio;
the Holy See and the Holy Father?
29. What is the canonical authority of the NCCB over individual Bishops
and their dioceses?
30. Is there any protection for diocesan files, secret archives and
tribunal records?
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