Chaput publishes his reflections on recent legal events in Colorado

h/t: AMDG

Archbishop Chaput's most recent diocesan column:

As Catholics, we can draw some key lessons from 2006 Assembly session

Victims of sexual abuse and the Church both need our daily prayers

Earlier this year, I asked Colorado Catholics to contact their state lawmakers about amending or defeating House Bill 1088, House Bill 1090 and Senate Bill 143. At the time, I hoped enough of our people would see the problems with these flawed bills to make a difference in their outcome.

Too many Catholics in other states have been misinformed into accepting a “reform” of the civil statute of limitations governing sexual abuse lawsuits. In practice, that “reform” turns out to be catastrophic for their own Catholic communities and deeply unfair in its prejudicial treatment of Catholic institutions.

As of press time on Monday, May 8, HB 1088 had been amended and signed into sensible and fair law. House Bill 1090, which now includes elements of SB 143, was still alive and still seriously flawed.

But at a minimum, Colorado Catholics and many other people of good will have highlighted the inequities in current sex-abuse legislation in a manner that drew national attention. I’m grateful to every one of the many, many Catholic laypeople, priests, deacons and religious throughout our Church, and our many non-Catholic friends, who contacted their lawmakers and voiced their concerns. They — in other words, you — fought these flawed bills every day for three months. Whatever success the Catholic community achieves in defeating this sort of bad legislation, the main credit belongs to Catholic believers who spoke up for their families, parishes and diocese.

This is a good moment to remember a few key principles.

Read the rest.