As lay Catholics, we are very concerned about recent revelations of allegations of priestly and episcopal cover-up of abuse. Clearly, the Church is in a moral crisis, and we San Diegans must act with urgency and purpose.

We demand that Bishop McElroy of San Diego answer these questions directly and truthfully:

1. Will you publicly request the resignation of bishops who have covered up for or failed to remove from ministry priests who sexually abused minors or vulnerable or subordinate adults?
2. Why haven't you publicly called for the resignation of Cardinal Wuerl?
3. Why did you not act on the information regarding Archbishop McCarrick’s misdeeds when A.W. Richard Sipe presented them to you? His letter is very thorough.
4. Since becoming a bishop, what information have you received (of any kind, including rumors) about sexual misconduct by priests or bishops? What actions, if any, did you take when learning of that information?
5. What is your policy regarding clergy sexual misconduct with adults? Has that policy been consistently followed since you became the Bishop of San Diego?
6. Have any of our seminarians experienced sexual advances from other seminarians or seminary formators? If so, what did you do about it?
7. Are you abiding by Vatican guidelines to not admit men to priestly formation who have "deep-seated homosexual tendencies”? At the “listening session” on October 1, you only said, “If someone is going to live chastely, I will ordain him.”
8. You wrote an article in America magazine defending Fr. James Martin and explaining your understanding of chastity relative to other virtues. Do you believe that a person can engage in ongoing, serious sins of unchastity and still be suitable for leadership (lay or clerical) in the Church?
9. What concrete steps will you take to meaningfully include the laity in the process of purification and reform of the Church hierarchy that will include accountability, transparency and an emphasis on maintaining clerical celibacy?
10. Will you allow the district attorney to examine diocesan records in a similar manner to other dioceses?