Bishops approve restructuring, sex abuse study funding, new statements

As the U.S. bishops concluded the public portion of their Nov. 13-16 fall general meeting in Baltimore Nov. 14, they approved several new statements and a restructuring and downsizing of their national conference.

On Nov. 13, the first day of their meeting, they allocated money for a further study of the context and causes of clergy sexual abuse.

Among the texts they approved were:

• A new statement outlining the preparation needed to receive Communion worthily which says that serious sin is a bar to receiving the Eucharist.
• A document calling married couples to understand and live church teaching on artificial contraception.
• A statement on Iraq issued in the name of Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.