CBC News: Vatican sex abuse letter from 1997 revealed

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Yes it’s mandatory for any adult who hears of, or suspects anything to report it to the police. Anyone working in any capacity with children has to be thoroghly vetted & registered with the police - the down side of this necessary step is a downturn in people prepared to volunteer in any leadership roles in scouts, youthclubs etc. The archdiocese of Dublin now has some of the best standards & guidelines in the world. This in itself has led to problems between Rome & our current Archbishop as no religious or priest is allowed to work in Dublin unless they’re prepared to be checked out & sign a declaration. Some religious orders have argued that he is overstepping his remit with regard to them & there was a move to have him transferred back to Rome in 2009; but common sense has prevailed & he’s still here. From the state’s side we have a commission of enquiry headed by a High Court judge which is investigating all the dioceses on a one by one basis. We already have 2 reports on Dublin & Cork. This commission is based on one set up by the then Cardinal Archbishop Dublin into abuse in Wexford (the diocese of Ferns is a suffragan diocese to the archdiocese of Dublin) It was a television program made by one of the abused that acted as a clarion call to action on this disgraceful chapter in Irish Church life. This is not to appreciate the good that many thousands of Irish priests & religious have done & still do throughout out the world
 
I am so confused. Can someone explain what this letter really says for those of us who have simple minds? LOL
The simple explanation:

This letter put the bishops on notice that their intended procedure did not follow canon law. If the bishops wanted to take action against a priest accused of abuse, at some point the action would have to go to Rome. If the Bishops of Ireland did not follow canon law, the action (usually a request to laicize the priest in question) would get hung up on technicalities. In other words, if they wanted smooth legal action (canon law, not civil law) they needed to make sure they started the process correctly.

Jimmy Aikin wrote a good explanation for the National Catholic Register. You can read it here:

ncregister.com/blog/vatican-warned-bishops-not-to-report-child-abuse/
 
The simple explanation:

This letter put the bishops on notice that their intended procedure did not follow canon law. If the bishops wanted to take action against a priest accused of abuse, at some point the action would have to go to Rome. If the Bishops of Ireland did not follow canon law, the action (usually a request to laicize the priest in question) would get hung up on technicalities. In other words, if they wanted smooth legal action (canon law, not civil law) they needed to make sure they started the process correctly.

Jimmy Aikin wrote a good explanation for the National Catholic Register. You can read it here:

ncregister.com/blog/vatican-warned-bishops-not-to-report-child-abuse/
Thank you…I’m just returning to this thread now.
 
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