Failure to report sex abuse in Chicago archdiocese described

[Corki]

The 2nd and 3rd sources show that the U.S. bishops are serious about preventing abuse. The Vatican letter is chilling and shows a bunker mentality. Their first concern is certainly for the institution. In Catholic Matters Richard Neuhaus regrets that Rome does not appreciate how hurtful this scandal has been to the Church in America.

BTW, the 3rd source shows that the Diocese of Lincoln did not participate in the survey. Their bishop is a real hardliner.

This Vatican letter isn’t about a bunker mentality. It is from a curial department responsible for those in religious life and it is just making sure that any new “rules” are not going to cause a conflict with existing rules. It isn’t a policy document at all; it’s a ‘housekeeping’ letter. It only discusses what "t"s need to be crossed and "i"s dotted before the Vatican can put the stamp of approval (recognito) on the document the USCCB was proposing.

While many Americans, and some people on this thread, would like to see due process thrown out the window when it involves Catholic clergy, the rights of the accused are still important. While an accusation in the civil arena would be treated as “innocent until found guilty in a court of law,” the Church’s rules are not the same. That doesn’t mean, however, that everyone in religious life who is accused of a grave crime is convicted without a trial - civil or ecclesiastic. Even with these safeguards, the lives and ministries of many innocent Catholic clergy and religious have been destroyed by false accusations. Our deep concern for the victims of abuse does not excuse any rush to judgement when an accusation is made.

 

[puppypatrol]

This Vatican letter isn’t about a bunker mentality. It is from a curial department responsible for those in religious life and it is just making sure that any new “rules” are not going to cause a conflict with existing rules. It isn’t a policy document at all; it’s a ‘housekeeping’ letter. It only discusses what "t"s need to be crossed and "i"s dotted before the Vatican can put the stamp of approval (recognito) on the document the USCCB was proposing.

While many Americans, and some people on this thread, would like to see due process thrown out the window when it involves Catholic clergy, the rights of the accused are still important. While an accusation in the civil arena would be treated as “innocent until found guilty in a court of law,” the Church’s rules are not the same. That doesn’t mean, however, that everyone in religious life who is accused of a grave crime is convicted without a trial - civil or ecclesiastic. Even with these safeguards, the lives and ministries of many innocent Catholic clergy and religious have been destroyed by false accusations. Our deep concern for the victims of abuse does not excuse any rush to judgement when an accusation is made.

AMEN AND THANK YOU :extrahappy::clapping::extrahappy:

 

[MariaTheresa]

Unfortunately, the Church did not show “deep concern” for the victims" and there was no rush to judgement . There were decades of cover up. The Church created her own scandal. For this to heal, the wound must be cleaned out, not covered up, no matter how much it stinks. When I talked to my priest about it sometime ago, he asked if it affected my faith. I said, of course not. I am a baptized Christian (original meaning) and this is my Church. The whores can get out. He said he was pleased to hear from just about every person he talked to that they had a sense of ownership of their faith and were not willing to turn away because of the scandal. At the same time he is strong on saying many priests involved and some bisphops probably need to go to jail for these crimes.
Of course, he has a broader understanding as he has worked with abuse victims in general in the past also.

 

[WillieWonka]

Let’s remember, it was the media and the state that cleaned up this mess, not the Church.