http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145805850.html
Paper reveals Vatican policy of sex abuse secrecy
A confidential Vatican document drafted more than 40 years ago laid down a
policy demanding secrecy in cases of sex abuse by priests, CBS News has
reported.
The policy, written in 1962 by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, said that anyone
who spoke out about sexual abuse could be expelled from the church, the
report said.
The document deals with what it calls the "worst crime" - "sexual assault
committed by a priest" or "attempted by him with youths of either sex or
with brute animals". It called on bishops to pursue such cases "in the most
secretive way . . . restrained by a perpetual silence . . . and everyone
(including the alleged victim) . . . is to observe the strictest secret,
which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office . . . under the
penalty of excommunication."
A spokesman for the United States Conference of Bishops, Monseigneur Francis
Maniscalco, said the text was being taken out of context, and was meant to
deal only with religious crimes and to shield church members from any
scandal.
Larry Drivon, a lawyer for sexual abuse victims, said the document was "an
instruction manual on how to deceive and how to protect pedophiles".
Church records indicate that the document was the basis of the church's sex
abuse policy, until US bishops drafted a new policy last year. Bishops say
that at least 400 priests have been dismissed over sex abuse charges since
then.
Agence France-Presse
"bihr" <bihr@no-spam> wrote in message
news:0kCYa.19838$bo1.18955@no-spam
> http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145805850.html
>
> Paper reveals Vatican policy of sex abuse secrecy
If your child does something very wrong, you punish your child. Why would
you tell the whole world that your child did something wrong and stain the
good name of your family?
>
> A confidential Vatican document drafted more than 40 years ago laid down a
> policy demanding secrecy in cases of sex abuse by priests, CBS News has
> reported.
>
> The policy, written in 1962 by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, said that
anyone
> who spoke out about sexual abuse could be expelled from the church, the
> report said.
>
> The document deals with what it calls the "worst crime" - "sexual assault
> committed by a priest" or "attempted by him with youths of either sex or
> with brute animals". It called on bishops to pursue such cases "in the
most
> secretive way . . . restrained by a perpetual silence . . . and everyone
> (including the alleged victim) . . . is to observe the strictest secret,
> which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office . . . under the
> penalty of excommunication."
>
> A spokesman for the United States Conference of Bishops, Monseigneur
Francis
> Maniscalco, said the text was being taken out of context, and was meant to
> deal only with religious crimes and to shield church members from any
> scandal.
>
>
>
> Larry Drivon, a lawyer for sexual abuse victims, said the document was "an
> instruction manual on how to deceive and how to protect pedophiles".
> Church records indicate that the document was the basis of the church's
sex
> abuse policy, until US bishops drafted a new policy last year. Bishops say
> that at least 400 priests have been dismissed over sex abuse charges since
> then.
>
> Agence France-Presse
>
>
