Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963

[babsbunny]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/vatican-was-warned-about-paedophile-priests-in-1963-1934064.html

Vatican was warned about paedophile priests in 1963

Lawyers for US victims of abuse reveal letter of concern written to the then Pope

By David Usborne

Friday, 2 April 2010

A letter sent in 1963 to Pope Paul VI by a senior American priest who outlined the "problem of the problem priest" suggests that the Vatican was fully aware – or at least should have been aware – of the extent of sexual abuse within the US Catholic Church almost five decades ago.

The missive, unearthed and made public yesterday by lawyers representing victims of alleged sexual abuse in Los Angeles, argued even then that the best solution for dealing with priests found to have violated young men and boys was to defrock them, rather than shuffle them to other dioceses, as was the practice of the Catholic Church for so long.

[Taverner]

1. But the church is infallible, remember?

So if someone reports it as fallible, then they must be wrong - right?

[hedgehog]

2. Technically, papal infallibility applies only when speaking ex cathedra

The doctrine of papal infallibility was issued at Vatican I, after the bishops who disagreed with the doctrine had already left!

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of clergy who should know better think infallibility covers every priest in every situation!

[SpiralHawk]

3. "That is like soooo last millennium." - The Vatican (R)

"Our Republicon Image & Propaganda consultants have advised us to do what they do -- blow off every ugly fact that comes our way, and divert, distort, and spin. So you can just sit down and shut up with all your Petty Nitpicking & Shit. We just don't give a shit. We are 'elite' and untouchable. Sneer. Smirk."

- The Vatican (R)

[Warpy]

4. Problem priests have been shielded by the Vatican forever

Remember, Thomas Becket was murdered over the church's habit of refusing to turn over rogue priests to the King's justice, touching off a battle between Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, and his best friend, Henry II, then King of England.

The problem of rogue priests being protected by the church is an old one, the case above having happened in the twelfth century. To try to claim that it's only a modern aberration is a serious mistake. Rome has always coddled and protected the criminals within its ranks. The policy was an old one when Henry nearly got himself excommunicated for bucking it. and it's 800 years older than that now.

The problem is a systemic one, one of the basic structure of the Vatican which has always held clergy above civil law but has never held clergy to a higher standard of behavior that would warrant that position.

This is why Rome is so hopelessly corrupt. There is not a single church official above the level of Bishop who is untainted, since they knew about it even if they were able to avoid taking part in it.

The Catholic Church should continue, it's doing so many things right. Rome has got to go.