"Connecting the Dots..." (catholic church and sex abuse)

OpEdNews.com

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_debby_bo_061001__22connecting_the_dots.htm


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October 4, 2006

"Connecting the Dots..."

By Founder, www.catholics4justice.com

Some dots to connect...

DOT 1:

Clergy sex abuse victims, their families, attorneys, journalists and supportive non-abused, made a life path choice to speak out about sex abuse crimes committed against children and vulnerable adults by employees of religious institutions. To remain silent was not an option. Silence would allow for future cover-ups of sex abuse crimes and more lives would be destroyed.

DOT 2:

Attorneys at law take an oath to uphold the laws of the U.S. Constitution, free from conflicts of interest and political influences. Attorneys hired by religious institutions choose to abuse the judicial process when shielding their politically-connected clients from moral, legal and financial accountability for crimes committed against children.

DOT 3:

Church attorneys are also hired to shield religious institutions from moral, legal and financial accountability each time a priest, nun, teacher, coach or member of the laity, faces employment termination or retaliation after making a sexual misconduct report or other safety violation of the law.

DOT 4:

In 2002, The National Charter for the Protection of Children and the "Zero" Tolerance policies were implemented with the assistance of attorneys hired by politically-connected institutions. If mandated reporters can be fired after reporting a violation of the law, no policy will effectively protect children and vulnerable adults from danger.

DOT 5:

In 2001, while he was a Cardinal, Pope Benedict 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.

DOT 6:

President Bush granted The Vatican full immunity from the clergy sex abuse crisis in the United States of America.



Authors Website: www.catholics4justice.com

Authors Bio: As an amateur writer, my passion for the courage of clergy sex abuse victims has changed my life direction in many ways. We must never forget that our country's freedom of religion does not include sex abuse crimes, cover-ups and failures to report sex abuse to law enforcement. Your input is important and valued -- please listen to the personal stories of clergy sex abuse survivors - write to your state legislators and Church leaders expressing your views and concerns. May God Bless you always.