Help with Clergy Abuse Debate

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I hope this is the right place for this topic! Don’t know where to put it!

My sister, as anti-Catholic as I was 5 years ago, has decided to allow a conversation to begin about the Church. Unfortunately, I have to go through this door before we get to the other issues. So I am asking for some help with this debate. She says:
There is a confidential document from the secret Vatican archives from the 1960’s, bearing the seal of Pope John XXIII, which was sent to every bishop in the world, containing a policy of strictest secrecy in dealing with allegations of sexual abuse and threatening those who spoke out with excommunication.
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I have requested her source for this but if anyone knows of this alleged document, can you give some insight?

She says:
Pope Benedict XVI was accused of obstruction of justice when it was learned that he issued an order ensuring the church’s investigations into child sex abuse claims be carried out in secret. The order was made in a confidential letter, which was sent to every Catholic bishop in May 2001. The letter is signed by Cardinal Ratzinger, the most powerful man in Rome beside the Pope.
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This comment sounds like it was lifted from the “Deliver Us From Evil” documentary (or Rosie O’Donnel). Am waiting for her to quote a source. Anyone have the inside scoop on this?

FYI: Sister works in the sex crimes unit of her state.
 
There are some old threads that relate to this:

“Instruction on the manner of proceeding in cases of solicitation” it was from 1962 I think.

I think a British news agency broke the story. If I remember correctly the document dealt with the seal of the confessional. The story was sensationalistic. The document did not support those who attack the Church as they thought it would.
 
Thanks fix. That’s helpful. I will look that up! God bless!
 
Sorry I don’t know much about the documents and am not the best at defending this particular issue. But I offer these thoughts on the debate in case they might help frame it more effectively:
  • Fairness: since some priests were proven to be accused falsely, it would seem logical that some “internal memo” would be circulated to warn administrators of the proper course of action to take to protect against priests being accused falsely.
Also, since even after all the smoke cleared, a very small % of priests had done this, perhaps the bishops did believe they were dealing mostly with false accusations?
  • Money: since the Church has more concentrated assets than schools or individual psychotherapists or Protestant splinter groups (all systems where sexual abuse also occurs), it seems logical and defensible that, again, some plan of defense against powerful attacks based on monetary gain would be prepared.
Now that I think about it, the Church heirarchy probably was not thinking about protecting against monetary suits so much as against a loss of honor. It was only once the scandal broke that it became clear that money was an issue.

But ever since Vatican II - what am I saying? WAY before that! - the Church knew that many people were gunning for her. Any bishop, as an important leader of an important institution, is part of a bigger world than most people usually think about. There are lots of things to consider, and a bit of strategy is absolutely required. It seems to connote sneakiness when one says that, but it’s just a necessity of maintaining an organization in the midst of many powerful enemies.

Maybe those words would sound like a Christian not being objective or making excuses for their church?
Not sure - but I will pray the Holy Spirit guide you, blessedtoo - and your sister as well. 👍
 
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