Computer mistranslation of key Vatican memo undercuts media criticism of Pope [CNA]

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Denver, Colo., Apr 5, 2010 / 08:42 pm (CNA).- A “very rough” computer translation of a memo recounting a key Vatican meeting about a Milwaukee priest who abused deaf children appears to have skewed media attempts to implicate Pope Benedict. Contradicting the New York Times and the Associated Press, the memo shows that the Vatican never ruled out defrocking the cleric.

An expert translation of that document provides evidence that appears to exonerate Vatican officials accused of wrongdoing in the case. Participants at the May 30, 1998 meeting in Rome said that a lack of evidence, such as missing records from the archdiocesan archives, prevented the lawful laicization of the Milwaukee priest. However, in the memo, they emphasized that unless the accused priest showed genuine penitence, he still risked penalties including removal from the clerical state, a process commonly known as defrocking.

These comments were poorly translated or even excluded from the English-language translation of the meeting minutes published on the New York Times web site, which also reproduced the Italian original. The translation of this document may have affected both the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s treatment of the case and the 2010 media reports about it.

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What ever happened to good investigative reporting? Checking facts, sources, and translations? The NYT is starting to look like some teenage blogger who just copied verbatim the first thing Google shot out and didn’t go past that.
 
Jimmy Akin had a great explanation of the memo. But the question I have is how did they expect Murphy to prove that he had repented without the seal of confession being compromised in some way? I would assume that they would want to hear from his spiritual director?
 
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