Cover-up

[andrewducker]

I was amazed that nobody else had linked to this Guardian article on the vatican's cover-up of child abuse...

The Observer has obtained a 40-year-old confidential document from the secret Vatican archive which lawyers are calling a 'blueprint for deception and concealment'. One British lawyer acting for Church child abuse victims has described it as 'explosive'.

The 69-page Latin document bearing the seal of Pope John XXIII was sent to every bishop in the world. The instructions outline a policy of 'strictest' secrecy in dealing with allegations of sexual abuse and threatens those who speak out with excommunication.

They also call for the victim to take an oath of secrecy at the time of making a complaint to Church officials. It states that the instructions are to 'be diligently stored in the secret archives of the Curia [Vatican] as strictly confidential. Nor is it to be published nor added to with any commentaries.'

The document, which has been confirmed as genuine by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, is called 'Crimine solicitationies', which translates as 'instruction on proceeding in cases of solicitation'.

It focuses on sexual abuse initiated as part of the confessional relationship between a priest and a member of his congregation. But the instructions also cover what it calls the 'worst crime', described as an obscene act perpetrated by a cleric with 'youths of either sex or with brute animals (bestiality)'.

Bishops are instructed to pursue these cases 'in the most secretive way... restrained by a perpetual silence... and everyone... is to observe the strictest secret which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office... under the penalty of excommunication'.

Comments

Wow.

[nosrialleon.livejournal.com]

Just...wow.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I was following the discussion (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/003314.html#003314) over at Teresa Nielsen Hayden's blog, Making Light (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight).

[derumi.livejournal.com]

I didn't link it because I thought it was pretty much a given. The pattern in the Catholic Church has always been the higher-ups covering up for those below them.

[kpollock.livejournal.com]

Not at all surprising in any way. Everybody's always known that's how they dealt with it.

[spaj.livejournal.com]

"I was amazed that nobody else had linked to this Guardian article on the vatican's cover-up of child abuse..."

Surely that's how you cover things up? I'm amazed your comments have stayed up so long. I'll have to inform the father. Please stand by...

[becksifer.livejournal.com]

I read it, and was surprised that it was so extreme and had been going on at quite such a level for quite so long. At the moment reading the Guardian from cover to cover is the only way I can get through a very dull day of reception cover at work. And what better way to spend the day really!