Vatican comes under sharp criticism for sex abuse

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP:Excite.

By JOHN HEILPRIN and NICOLE WINFIELD

GENEVA (AP) - The Vatican came under blistering criticism from a U.N. committee Thursday for its handling of the global priest sex abuse scandal, facing its most intense public grilling to date over allegations that it protected pedophile priests at the expense of victims.

The Vatican insisted it had little jurisdiction to sanction pedophile priests around the globe, saying it was for local law enforcement to do so. But officials conceded that it needs to do more, given the scale of the problem and the role the Holy See plays in the international community.

"The Holy See gets it," Monsignor Charles Scicluna, the Vatican's former sex crimes prosecutor, told the committee. "Let's not say too late or not. But there are certain things that need to be done differently."

He was responding to a grilling by the U.N. committee over the Holy See's failure to abide by terms of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child which, among other things, calls for signatories to take all appropriate measures to keep children from harm. Critics allege the church enabled the rape of thousands of children by encouraging a culture of cover-up to defend its reputation.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140116/DABBTT5G3.html

[Boxerfan]

1. I was going to post on this-I LIKE this new Pope!

Here's another link...

http://world.time.com/2014/01/15/pope-franciss-vatican-to-be-grilled-by-u-n-on-child-sex-abuse/

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Another quote from this session

The Vatican's UN ambassador, Monsignor Silvano Tomasi, said the Holy See was legally responsible only for implementing the UN Convention on the tiny territory of Vatican City - a position long criticised by campaigners.

But he said that as the central body of the Church the Vatican was working with its local branches to develop measures to stem sexual abuse.

It was up to nations to crack down, Tomasi insisted.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/10576203/Vatican-tells-UN-hearing-no-excuse-for-child-abuse.html

This is their position: "only the Vatican City", no children, no problem.

This new leaf is a fig leaf.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. As it should. The Catholic Church has long ago lost all credibility on this issue.

While I have generally applauded Pope Francis on this issue he has been sorely lacking in energy and effectiveness.

[onehandle]

4. New Transparency Comes With New Pope: "Church wants to model 'best practice' on fighting abuse"

A senior Vatican official today asserted that the Catholic church wants to be "an example of best practice" in the prevention of abuse. Italian Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's representative to the United Nations in Geneva, spoke this morning to the Committee on the Convention of the Rights of the Child, a 1989 United Nations treaty which the Vatican ratified in 1990.

The seriousness with which the Vatican is taking the process is reflected in the fact that it dispatched not only Tomasi but also Maltese Bishop Charles Scicluna, who served for ten years as the Vatican's top sex abuse prosecutor and is widely seen as a leading reformer.

Tomasi argued that the Vatican has adopted strong anti-abuse measures for personnel under its direct supervision, citing the fact that a former papal ambassador in the Dominican Republic accused of abuse, Polish Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, is facing a criminal procedure before a Vatican tribunal.

Moreover, Tomasi said, the Vatican has also encouraged bishops and local churches around the world to adopt similar measures, pointing among other things to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People of the American bishops.

Such measures, Tomasi claimed, "will help eliminate the occurrence of child sexual abuse by clergy and other church personnel."

Tomasi also said that Francis is committed to reform, pointing to the recent creation of a new papal commission to fight abuse.

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/church-wants-model-best-practice-fighting-abuse-vatican-says

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Why is Wesolowski being 'handled' by the Vatican? At the UN the Vatican's argument

was they the local law enforcement had jurisdiction.
From the OP:
"The Vatican insisted it had little jurisdiction to sanction pedophile priests around the globe, saying it was for local law enforcement to do so."

From what you posted:
"former papal ambassador in the Dominican Republic accused of abuse, Polish Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, is facing a criminal procedure before a Vatican tribunal."

Actions contradict words.

[hue]

7. re: "criminal procedure before a Vatican tribunal"

Wesolowski is prob receiving breakfast in bed with papal valets serving him on silver trays followed by his assisted bath & freshly pressed linens that they aid him in dressing.

[onehandle]

8. Priests vs. a Papal Ambassador Archbishop.

This Pope is focusing on the very structure of the Church through the people who report to him.

President Obama doesn't discipline worker bees in his government, but he does from time to time, discipline their leadership.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. That's a huge crock of self serving blather sauce.

'It's up to the local authorities, nothing we could do' and also 'we refuse to give him to local authorities, we must do it all' depending on the needs of the day.
They are both just people. Law does not change when one gets a promotion.

[hue]

6. So far it looks like Francis is all talk and little action.

I'd like to see him not pardon, because pardon implies guilt, but remove all charges of heresy, immorality and blasphemy etc. and issue a sincere and formal apology for the years of imprisonment and suffering, and then the public murder/execution of Giordano. Bruno is a martyr for science and a saint.

Furthermore I'd like to see mother teresa's blessedness stripped and postmortem indictments issued against her for her abject abuse of the sick & dying & the money she pimped using them.

These are just 2 of many changes I'd like to see happen before I think of Francis as a man of God.

[dickthegrouch]

10. It has nothing to do with reputation either

It has everything to do with protecting their money.

Why else would so many local jurisdictions be declaring bankruptcy to avoid financial consequences of their crimes?

[hue]

11. All over the world for centuries! (a few examples)

Canada:

http://www.whale.to/a/annett.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Cashel_Orphanage

Ireland:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1231180/Irish-Catholic-Church-covered-sickening-catalogue-child-abuse-paedophile-priests.html

Wisconsin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse_scandal_in_Catholic_archdiocese_of_Milwaukee

SNAP:

http://www.snapnetwork.org/

[Arugula Latte]

12. Amazing that anyone still thinks this institution has the moral high ground and is

the arbiter of holiness. What an effing joke.

Edited to say: I mean it's a sick, depraved, twisted joke.