Top: Tom Doyle and, bottom, Pope Benedict
The Pope played a leading role in a systematic cover-up of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests, according to a shocking documentary to be screened by the BBC tonight.
In 2001, while he was a cardinal, he issued a secret Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world, instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety.
The document recommended that rather than reporting sexual abuse to the relevant legal authorities, bishops should encourage the victim, witnesses and perpetrator not to talk about it. And, to keep victims quiet, it threatened that if they repeat the allegations they would be excommunicated.
The Panorama special, Sex Crimes And The Vatican, investigates the details of this little-known document for the first time. The programme also accuses the Catholic Church of knowingly harbouring paedophile clergymen. It reveals that priests accused of child abuse are generally not struck off or arrested but simply moved to another parish, often to reoffend. It gives examples of hush funds being used to silence the victims.
Before being elected as Pope Benedict XVI in April last year, the pontiff was Cardinal Thomas Ratzinger who had, for 24 years, been the head of the powerful Congregation of the Doctrine of The Faith, the department of the Roman Catholic Church charged with promoting Catholic teachings on morals and matters of faith. An arch-Conservative, he was regarded as the 'enforcer' of Pope John Paul II in cracking down on liberal challenges to traditional Catholic teachings.
Five years ago he sent out an updated version of the notorious 1962 Vatican document Crimen Sollicitationis - Latin for The Crime of Solicitation - which laid down the Vatican's strict instructions on covering up sexual scandal. It was regarded as so secret that it came with instructions that bishops had to keep it locked in a safe at all times.
Cardinal Ratzinger reinforced the strict cover-up policy by introducing a new principle: that the Vatican must have what it calls Exclusive Competence. In other words, he commanded that all child abuse allegations should be dealt with direct by Rome.
Patrick Wall, a former Vatican-approved enforcer of the Crimen Sollicitationis in America, tells the programme: "I found out I wasn't working for a holy institution, but an institution that was wholly concentrated on protecting itself."
And Father Tom Doyle, a Vatican lawyer until he was sacked for criticising the church's handling of child abuse claims, says: "What you have here is an explicit written policy to cover up cases of child sexual abuse by the clergy and to punish those who would call attention to these crimes by the churchmen.
"When abusive priests are discovered, the response has been not to investigate and prosecute but to move them from one place to another. So there's total disregard for the victims and for the fact that you are going to have a whole new crop of victims in the next place. This is happening all over the world."
The investigation could not come at a worse time for Pope Benedict, who is desperately trying to mend the Church's relations with the Muslim world after a speech in which he quoted a 14th Century Byzantine emperor who said that Islam was spread by holy war and had brought only evil to the world.
The Panorama programme is presented by Colm O'Gorman, who was raped by a priest when he was 14. He said: "What gets me is that it's the same story every time and every place. Bishops appoint priests who they know have abused children in the past to new parishes and new communities and more abuse happens."
Last night Eileen Shearer, director of the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults said: "The Catholic Church in England and Wales (has) established a single set of national policies and procedures for child protection work. We are making excellent progress in protecting children and preventing abuse."
Panorama: Sex Crimes And The Vatican is on BBC1 tonight at 10.15pm.
I arbitrarily added the following comments found in the original post of this tragedy:
There is nothing like the effects that sexual abuse has on the human psyche,it is simply catastrophic,its steals all our rainbows... this is why these peoples actions( who claim to be closer to God, who claim to lead others to God) is so despicable...so utterly unchristian...We have had enough proof for years now as to the coverup that prolonged rapist priests sexual predation of young people the world over,,.they are ALL participating criminals and liars,that comes with the job and threats of excommunication...A few brave true men of God have stood up to their church and railed against the horror and the bullshit ,only a few... of the rest ...well don't let the silver tongued sons of Latin ,the fancy gold ornaments and mansions of power scare you or blind you....this is why so often Jesus preferred to hang with the working girls...i have met a several in my life ,they are often victims of sexual abuse.
- Iain Robertson, Brisbane, Australia, 03/04/2010 23:35
Roman Catholics are such that they seem to believe that their Popes are St Peter himself, and that the Pope is someone. Well the popes are 'someone' but not any successors to the Apostle Peter. Now this may sound harsh, but it is true. Pope Benedict XVI, aka Reichsführer - Ratzinger; protected paedophiles. Some may say to me 'oh Richard how can you say that?' well the truth is that Rome turns out paedophiles like Ford turns out cars; and the Roman Doctrine of 'celibacy' is error. When we read what the Apostle Paul wrote regarding those who would be a bishop, the requirement is that they be a married man, have children and rule their own family. Thus is can be reasoned that if ROME was Christian then even the Pope should be a married man. This is not some tirade against the Roman Catholic Church, but the truth. Centuries of deceit and cover ups, concords with the Nazis in 1933, silence regarding the holocaust, the inquistions, killing of saints, the whole box and dice of corruption will be torn down by the Lord. Scripture tells us 'nothing shall be hidden that will not be made known' and as for Benedict XVI this scripture has now come to pass for him; 'behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.' Numbers 32:23. I am a Christian and I am happy this has been made known by God, amen
- Richard Merrell, Wentworth Falls NSW Australia, 15/04/2010 03:07
All of the above first published by:
BENEDICT PEDOPHILE MASTERMIND 4 parts (BBC NEWS)
Documentary,italian subtitles
The Vatican Exposed: What Every Catholic Should Know!
Patrick, a former Roman Catholic of fifty years, delves into the murky and sordid history of the Catholic church and offers the viewer some disturbing facts long hidden and suppressed!
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