The leader of the Catholic church in northwest Iowa is leaving today for a meeting of American bishops to decide on proposals to deal with sexual abuse by priests. Bishop Daniel DiNardo of Sioux City says the church’s rules and proposed changes are under intense scrutiny. The Dallas, Texas, meeting is to run Thursday through Saturday and is expected to draw 300 bishops from across the U-S, along with thousands of protesters. Bishop DiNardo says he’d support the zero-tolerance policy change in the church’s policies.The policy calls for zero-tolerance for priests who molest children in the future — and a two-strikes-you’re-out policy for those guilty of past abuse. DiNardo believes the Vatican will approve the zero-tolerance policy.Though he has denied sexually abusing anyone, the Roman Catholic bishop of Lexington, Kentucky resigned on Monday. Three plaintiffs have sued the archdiocese, alleging abuse by J-Kendrick Williams. One plaintiff says he was abused as a 12-year-old altar boy.
