Early this year, one of seven Catholic priests who allegedly had sex with a South Bay teen-ager about 10 years ago returned from the Philippines to apologize publicly.

He also revealed evidence that the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese had advised him to stay out of the country, sent him monthly payments and counseled silence on the matter.

Historically, the response of religious institutions to charges of clergy sexual misconduct has been fraught with "denial and reluctance to acknowledge that the problem has happened," said the Rev. Karen Lebacqz, a professor of Christian ethics at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. "As often as not, the institution steps in to protect its own."

But now, as evidence rises of clergy sexual misconduct, several major denominations--mostly liberal-to-moderate ones--are trying to face the problem more squarely by adopting tougher guidelines governing the conduct of clergy. Some are even providing means of redress for victims.

The most common denominational approaches involve "in-house" policies prohibiting various kinds of behavior and providing mechanisms of appeal for victims of abuse. And religious leaders in two states are cooperating with civil authorities to require background checks of clergy.

Last week, sexual harassment and abuse involving pastors, staff and lay people within the United Church of Christ was "condemned" by delegates to that denomination's 18th General Synod.

Early in June, the Presbyterian convention adopted a policy that prohibits sex between clergy and parishioners or church employees and allows victims to seek compensation.

Rabbis in Reform Judaism, meeting last month in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., adopted a new code of ethics that specifically warns against even the appearance of sexual impropriety.

And the Episcopal Church may vote on statements addressing the problem at its convention next week.

The new, more open approach comes as a welcome change to many, but some observers remain skeptical.

"Frankly, some of this will never be addressed by preventive steps because there will always be a small segment of ministers who are in fact sexual predators," said the Rev. Marie Fortune of Seattle, author of "Is Nothing Sacred?", a pioneering book on the subject and founder of that city's Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence.

"All we can do is identify them and remove (the accused) from positions of trust," she said.