My dear readers,

Clergy suspected of abuse

Church promises to study UN report on child abuse

(Source: The Straits Times, Feb 6, 2014)

1. The United Nations demanded that the Vatican "immediately remove" all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to civil authorities, in an unprecedented, scathing report released yesterday.

2. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said church officials had imposed a "code of silence" on clerics to prevent them from reporting attacks on police, and moved abusers from parish to parish "in an attempt to cover up such crimes."

3. It said the Holy See must hand over an archive of evidence about the abuse of tens of thousands of children, and take measures to prevent a repeat of cases.

4. The Vatican responded quickly saying the Roman Catholic Church was committed to "defending and protecting the rights of the child" and promising to give the UN report "thorough study and examination".

5. But Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, responding to criticisms on the Church’s stance on homosexuality, abortion and contraception, told the Vatican Radio that the report was distorted, unfair and ideologically biased.

6. The exceptionally blunt paper – the UN’s broadest critique of the Church hierarchy – followed its public grilling of Vatican officials last month, when 18 independent human rights experts from around the globe had grilled senior churchmen and called into question the Vatican’s resolve.

7. The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators," the report said.

8. It urged the Vatican to "immediately remove all know and suspected child sexual abusers from assignment and refer the matter to the relevant law enforcement authorities for investigation and prosecution purposes".

9. It also said priests who had fathered children should be held accountable and made to provide for their upkeep.

10. Pope Francis has called sexual abuse of children "the shame of the Church" and has vowed to continue procedures put in place by his predecessor Benedict XVI.

The report said a commission that the Pope set up in December should invite outside experts and victims to participate in an investigation of abusers "as well as the conduct of the Catholic hierarchy in dealing with them".

Ms Barbara Blaine of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said the report was a "wake-up call."

Sections of the report also faulted the Vatican for its opposition to homosexual activity, contraception and abortion. Archbishop Tomasi, the head of the Holy See’s delegation to the UN, told Vatican Radio that non-governmental organisations which favour gay marriage probably influenced the committee to reinforce an "ideological line" in the report.

11. In a separate development, a controversial book of Pope John Paul II’s personal notes hit stories in Poland yesterday, compiled by his personal secretary in defiance of the late pontiff’s dying wish that they be destroyed.

12. Titled I’m Very Much In God’s Hands, the 640-page book delves into often obscure theological notions penned by Karol Wojtyla, between 1962 and 2003, before and during his papacy.

(Para numbering added by Ed.)

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor