COLUMBUS - A Roman Catholic bishop made an unprecedented appearance before a legislative committee yesterday, saying the church knows it has an obligation to help victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests.

But Bishop Fred Campbell of the Diocese of Columbus, on the job just 11 months, told lawmakers that reviving civil cases as old as 35 years would endanger church resources used for charity and education without guaranteeing protection for children.

"Is the simple removal of the statute of limitations going to protect children?" Bishop Campbell asked the House Judiciary Committee. "Are we talking about identifying perpetrators or are we talking about protecting children?"

"It's one and the same," countered Rep. Sandra Harwood (D., Niles). "By identifying them, that's how you protect the children."

The unique appearance of a bishop before the committee demonstrates the importance the church has placed on stopping a bill opening a one-time, one-year window for victims of child sexual abuse as long ago as 1970 to file lawsuits against their abusers and those they believe covered for them.

"I find it interesting that I'm here in my 11th month," Bishop Campbell said.

Rep. John Willamowski (R., Lima), the committee's chairman, found it interesting too.

"I give you credit for having the courage to come," he said. "I'm disappointed that it was the new guy on the block that was sent. Additional information could have been given if an archbishop of 23 years or a bishop of 25 years had been sent."

Bishop Campbell declined to talk to reporters after his testimony.

"It was a perfect chorus line," said Claudia Vercellotti, Toledo coordinator for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "If they would do this before lawmakers who hold these decisions in the balance, what hope did a rape survivor have walking in the door of the diocese merely seeking help?"

Senate Bill 17, passed unanimously by the Senate last spring, would apply to all victims of child sexual abuse, but most of the focus has been on those abused by priests.

Currently, a victim of child sexual abuse has until age 20 to file a civil lawsuit. The bill would extend that time limit to age 38.

The measure would add priests, rabbis, ministers, and other nonvolunteer church officials to the list of professionals mandated to report to authorities any "reasonable suspicion" of abuse.

The Catholic Church argues that the one-year "look-back" period would be unconstitutional. In California, where a similar one-year window was opened in 2003, the Diocese of Orange County reached a $100 million settlement with 87 plaintiffs.

"This undermines a fundamental right to a fair defense of a case," Bishop Campbell said. "Over so long a period, memories fade, some of the people may even be dead, including the one who is accused."

In addition to the bishop, the Catholic Conference of Ohio presented a series of monsignors, priests, nuns, and church laymen who reported, among other things, subjecting applicants for the priesthood to a series of psychological tests designed to flag sexual dysfunction.

"Suddenly half of the priests are perverts and the other half are supposed to be so ashamed that they can't walk down the street as who they are and who they were called to be," said the Rev. David Nuss, director of vocations for the Diocese of Toledo.

"I do so wish I had the power to go beyond expressing remorse, to really be able to undo the damage that's been done," he said. "I don't have that power."

The church described using review panels to investigate allegations of abuse and the creation of programs to educate church officials, children, parents, and volunteers of the warning sides of abuse.

As a possible alternative to the "look-back" window, Bishop Campbell presented the general concept of a civil registry containing the names of priests against whom "credible accusations" had been lodged.

The bishop, however, had few details on how it would work, including whether churches would mine their record archives for the older cases the one-year look-back period is designed to reach.

Contact Jim Provance at:

jprovance@theblade.com

or 614-221-0496.

First Published December 16, 2005, 12:22 p.m.