The U.S. Catholic bishops' conference announced a list of plans to help deal with sexual assault and misconduct within the church going forward.
In a conciliatory statement Wednesday, the committee of bishops said, "Some bishops ... have caused great harm to both individuals and the church as a whole,” and that their response to sexual assault has been insufficient.
To aid in rebuilding credibility, the bishops announced they plan to set up a "third-party reporting system" for fielding complaints about misconduct.
They also say they've started the process of creating policies to restrict “bishops who were removed or resigned because of allegations of sexual abuse” or misconduct.
The steps are not all inclusive. In addressing their progress so far, the bishops said, "This is only a beginning."
Additional reporting by Newsy affiliate CNN.
