Vatican was told 50 years ago to act against paedophile priests (Guardian)

[struggle4progress]

Expert's warning proves Catholic church should have known about failings in dealing with abuse cases, says lawyer
* Owen Bowcott and agencies
* guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 April 2010 13.01 BST

... The letter has been released as plaintiffs in Kentucky attempt to sue the Vatican for allegedly failing to alert police or the public about priests who molested children, part of a series of abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic church and left the current pope, Benedict XVI, struggling to defend its reputation.

The document, produced by Anthony DeMarco, a lawyer who acted for plaintiffs in a separate US compensation claim settled in 2007, was written by the Rev Gerald MC Fitzgerald, the head of the Servants of the Holy Paraclete, an order based in New Mexico.

His submission appears to have been drafted at the request of the pope. Fitzgerald opens the five-page letter by thanking the pope for an audience the day before and says he is summarising his thoughts at the pope's request on the "problem of the problem priest" after 20 years working to treat them.

He tells Paul VI that treatment for priests who have succumbed to "abnormal, homosexual tendencies" should include psychiatric, as well as spiritual, counselling but goes on to warn about the dangers of leaving those individuals in ministry ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/01/catholic-priests-abuse-warning

[struggle4progress]

1. Lawyer wants to quiz Pope on sex abuse cases

By Sarah Gerathy
Updated April 1, 2010 17:16:00

... Kentucky lawyer William McMurry .... representing alleged victims of sex abuse by Catholic clergy .... has filed a motion in court accusing the Pope of being aware of sex abuse in the Catholic Church in the US and is seeking to question him under oath ...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/01/2862863.htm?section=justin

[struggle4progress]

2. U.S. courts allow sex abuse cases against Vatican to proceed in rare legal move

By Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 27, 2010

... Two federal appeals courts in recent months have allowed sexual abuse lawsuits against the Vatican to proceed in Oregon and Kentucky. Vatican attorneys have asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of the Oregon case. Attorneys for both sides in the Oregon proceeding were in Washington two weeks ago making their arguments before a roomful of U.S. government officials, who could wind up weighing in if the Vatican -- considered a foreign country with immunity to lawsuits -- is found a liable party in an American case.

If the Supreme Court declines to take up the case this summer and lets the federal appeals ruling stand, attorneys could begin subpoenaing decades of documents and calling Vatican officials under oath.

Correspondence between the Vatican and U.S. clergy has always been subject to subpoena if the documents are located in the United States, attorneys say ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032604897.html

[Tumbulu]

3. what is the percentage of pedophiles in the general population

in the US vs the percentage of pedophiles who are priests? How about in the teaching profession? Does anyone have any figures on this?