Pope Benedict XVI deeply involved in Vatican system of hiding child abuse

[Rik Meleet]

BBC link, Dutch link, Wikipedia-link to Crimen sollicitationis.

A secret document which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church is examined by Panorama (a British TV show). Crimen Sollicitationis was enforced for 20 years by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became the Pope. It instructs bishops on how to deal with allegations of child abuse against priests and has been seen by few outsiders.

Crimen Sollicitationis was written in 1962 in Latin and given to Catholic bishops worldwide who are ordered to keep it locked away in the church safe. It instructs them how to deal with priests who solicit sex from the confessional. It also deals with "any obscene external act ... with youths of either sex." It imposes an oath of secrecy on the child victim, the priest dealing with the allegation and any witnesses. Breaking that oath means excommunication from the Catholic Church.

It seems our current pope was the man behind protecting child-abusers from prosecution.

Your opinions on this ?

 

[carlosMM]

I never expected any better fom Ratzinger.

 

[classical_hero]

Considering the history of the Catholic Church and such issues, it is yet another case of mistrust, which we have seen way to often for the Catholic Church to even be credible. It seems more like an old Boy's club rather than a Church. They are more interested in seeing the clergy protected and the innocent victim suffer. This is a shocking thin coming from the Catholic Church.

Unfortunately this reminds a bit too much of that South park Episode and "The Catholic Boat".

 

[El_Machinae]

To be clear; in 1962, the common methodology of dealing with child abuse was to hide it. I mean, it was accepted that the trick to psychological healing (for the child) involved suppressing any thoughts or reference to the action.

I don't know what the document proposes with regards to forgiving the priest or punishing the priest; clearly more should have been done to remove abusers from positions of power. But the actions that involved minimizing public exposure for the victim were consistent with medical theories of the day.

It's only fairly recently that we've thought that psychological counselling for the children was warranted or adviseable; and the data are not solidly behind the efficacy of such an approach (though it does seem to be helping). Before this paradigm shift, it was thought that trying to get the child to forget what happened (and to 'never mention it again') was the best policy. It is not fair to blame the CC for trying to implement this policy before the mid 80's; it was the standard accepted practice.

Again, not punishing priests or removing them (even subtely) from positions of access WAS an unforgiveable lack of foresight on the Church's part.

 

[GinandTonic]

Again, not punishing priests or removing them (even subtely) from positions of access WAS an unforgiveable lack of foresight on the Church's part.

Understatement of the day.

 

[El_Machinae]

I just want people's condemnation of the Church's actions to be accurate. There is enough poo to throw without misrepresenting some of their actions in the light of modern-day thinking.

 

[Rossiya]

Yes, I saw that the documentary was on on Panorama on BBC, didn't watch it though. When I pressed the info button on my remote control, it gave the usual brief summary of the program, but it seemed to have the "ROMAN CATHOLIC priests" (not originally capitalised) forced into the summary, as if the prodcuers of the program have prejudices against Catholics. Being a Catholic myself (I must add, though, I do not abuse children), I think it is a typical English attitude to have against all Catholics, as if just being Catholic makes you play with children.

 

[GinandTonic]

Yes, I saw that the documentary was on on Panorama on BBC, didn't watch it though. When I pressed the info button on my remote control, it gave the usual brief summary of the program, but it seemed to have the "ROMAN CATHOLIC priests" (not originally capitalised) forced into the summary, as if the prodcuers of the program have prejudices against Catholics. Being a Catholic myself (I must add, though, I do not abuse children), I think it is a typical English attitude to have against all Catholics, as if just being Catholic makes you play with children.

Well Crimen Sollicitationis only applies to Catholic priests.

The Pope was only in charge of inforcement amoung catholic priests.

The requirement for celibacy is a catholic issue.

This story is about catholic priests, really its not bias just the facts of the case.

EDIT - They could have a "not all Catholic Priests are kiddy fiddlers and not all nonces are Catholic Priests" disclamer I suppose...

 

[warpus]

When I pressed the info button on my remote control, it gave the usual brief summary of the program, but it seemed to have the "ROMAN CATHOLIC priests" (not originally capitalised) forced into the summary, as if the prodcuers of the program have prejudices against Catholics.

Well.. wasn't the program about Roman Catholic Priests? You'd expect to see those words in the description if that's what it was about, wouldn't you?

 

[classical_hero]

Well.. wasn't the program about Roman Catholic Priests? You'd expect to see those words in the description if that's what it was about, wouldn't you?

Well he is Roman Catholic, thus he must defend the Church, even when i is wrong.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Crimen Sollicitationis

Latin in a Papal context always sounds like a demonic language to me.

 

[ironduck]

The policy hasn't changed, before his death Paul II's vatican insisted that the investigation of these cases should be handled by the church itself. That said it all.

 

[JohnRM]

This is one thing that I have never understood and one standout issue that keeps me away from the Church. I am a Catholic, but this, among other things, makes me doubt the integrity of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

[Masquerouge]

It's high time the Catholic church changes that whole celibacy thing.

 

[.Shane.]

It's high time the Catholic church was dissembled.

Fixed.

10 char

 

[classical_hero]

It's high time the Catholic church changes that whole celibacy thing.

But that wont fix the problem because there have been examples of this in other denominations where the clergy can be married, so that will not solve the problem, but the difference in each case is that the Roman Catholic Church would prefer to have it decided by itself, whereas the other demoninations generally hand over the case to the police, but I think this also is a problem with "High" church types churches where the hierarchy of the church prefer to keep thing in house.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Yes, I saw that the documentary was on on Panorama on BBC, didn't watch it though. When I pressed the info button on my remote control, it gave the usual brief summary of the program, but it seemed to have the "ROMAN CATHOLIC priests" (not originally capitalised) forced into the summary, as if the prodcuers of the program have prejudices against Catholics. Being a Catholic myself (I must add, though, I do not abuse children), I think it is a typical English attitude to have against all Catholics, as if just being Catholic makes you play with children.

By definition a priest is Roman Catholic. By definition the Vatican is Roman Catholic. A child molester is NOT by definition Roman Catholic. Protecting the priests (RC) by the Vatican (RC) from being punished is Roman Catholic.

It is bad enough these poor children were raped - but it is far worse that the men in power are protecting other adults who committed these horrible crimes from prosecution by abusing the "excommunication threat" onto the poor victims. And is also far worse that the replacement of Jesus/Petrus -the pope- is largely responsible. Edit: - braindrain. incorrect statement removed

 

[nonconformist]

What I find interesting about the Crimen solliciatonis is that it morally equates homosexuality to bestialisty, and to paedophilia.

 

[JohnRM]

But that wont fix the problem because there have been examples of this in other denominations where the clergy can be married, so that will not solve the problem, but the difference in each case is that the Roman Catholic Church would prefer to have it decided by itself, whereas the other demoninations generally hand over the case to the police, but I think this also is a problem with "High" church types churches where the hierarchy of the church prefer to keep thing in house.

That would be fine and dandy if these offenders were actually being punished, but at this rate it is only a slap on the wrist. If they want to handle these issues in house, then I support that, but there must be stiff penalties for offenses and removal from any position of trust and confidence.

 

[El_Machinae]

Rik; your statement goes a bit too far.
Firstly, the Pope is Peter's replacement. Secondly, he is not a child-rapist, he only helped form policy which faciliated child rape but did not condone it.

Noncon; things would have been much simpler if they'd just molested animals, eh?