Vatican told bishops to cover up sex abuse

Vatican told bishops to cover up sex abuse

Expulsion threat in secret documents

Read the 1962 Vatican document (PDF file)

Antony Barnett, public affairs editor
Sunday August 17, 2003
The Observer

The Vatican instructed Catholic bishops around the world to cover up cases of sexual abuse or risk being thrown out of the Church.
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 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'.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1020400,00.html

If the story refers to a "69-page Latin document," why is their PDF a 39-page English document?

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Write to us at letters@observer.co.uk

Email reporter Antony Barnett at antony.barnett@observer.co.uk

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1020400,00.html

not a revelation. Why should one of the most powerful and probably one of the richest corporations in the world be expected to come clean? What Religion is clean for that matter, when it comes to political parlances and bedfellows in this dead mans walk toward the taking of the holyland. All have blood on their hands. Dare none point a finger at the other.

Inherent in most organized religions is the massively selfish demand to not have to be beholden to those pesky laws of mere mortals.

When the cause is so just that it's beyond question, then any wickedness in its service is just hunky dory. Here on earth, we must behave ourselves toward our fellow man and especially toward our fellow child.

This is the single largest religion that has ever existed in known human history. This fact doesn't absent them from behaving themselves--that's Republican thinking, the privilege of the massively powerful--no matter how they complain.

Catholics are not a put-upon minority; they're 26% of the U.S. population. I believe they are the plurality religion, even though outnumbered almost 2:1 by "assorted protestants" here.

Yes, there's a streak of anti-catholicism in this country's history and it's being tapped to thump on this issue. Having said that, though, this is not just sorta "bad form", the actions of the Catholic Church are a systematic, habitual abuse promulgated from a cynical superiority and inflexibility.

Having left the Presbyterian Church at the age of six, I've been pretty consistent on the concept of religion and solidly so on affiliation. Therefore, I'll take them to task. This is an organization that is out of line.

We have every right as human beings to take all organizations to task.

This is an older story that was first posted in this forum on August 6. That thread can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=54716&mesg_id=54716

Since this story can no longer be considered Latest Breaking News, it would be best if we don't kick the story with new comments. Please feel free to start a new discussion regarding this scandal in the General Discussion forum.

Thanks! :-)
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator