Pope Francis Downgraded His Plan to Hold Bishops Accountable for Pedophiles
UNITED STATES
Jezebel
Lauren Evans
Pope Francis has nixed his plan for a tribunal that would prosecute bishops who failed to treat pedophilic priests as criminals, opting instead only to strengthen existing statutes.
Survivors of abuse have long called for stricter accountability processes when it comes to holding bishops responsible for the despicable actions of priests. So when the pope approved the creation of the tribunal last year, it looked, to many, like progress.
Now, the Washington Post reports that the tribunal plan has vanished silently into the night, supplanted by a law that would merely“clarify legal procedures.”
The news comes as a grave disappointment to the abused, who were eager to see repercussions wrought upon the many criminals enjoying the boundless protection of one of history’s most powerful bodies, the Catholic church.
Jezebel
Lauren Evans
Pope Francis has nixed his plan for a tribunal that would prosecute bishops who failed to treat pedophilic priests as criminals, opting instead only to strengthen existing statutes.
Survivors of abuse have long called for stricter accountability processes when it comes to holding bishops responsible for the despicable actions of priests. So when the pope approved the creation of the tribunal last year, it looked, to many, like progress.
Now, the Washington Post reports that the tribunal plan has vanished silently into the night, supplanted by a law that would merely“clarify legal procedures.”
The news comes as a grave disappointment to the abused, who were eager to see repercussions wrought upon the many criminals enjoying the boundless protection of one of history’s most powerful bodies, the Catholic church.
Pope scraps abuse tribunal for negligent bishops
VATICAN CITY
Washington Post
By Nicole Winfield | AP June 4
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Saturday scrapped his proposed tribunal to prosecute bishops who covered up for pedophile priests after it ran into opposition and instead clarified legal procedures to remove them if the Vatican finds they were negligent.
The new procedures sought to answer long-standing demands by survivors of abuse that the Vatican hold bishops accountable for botching abuse cases. Victims have long accused bishops of covering up for pedophiles, moving rapists from parish to parish rather than reporting them to police — and suffering no consequences.
But the new law was immediately criticized by survivors of abuse as essentially window dressing since there were already ways to investigate and dismiss bishops for wrongdoing — they were just rarely used against bishops who failed to protect their flocks from pedophiles.
Analysts suggested the new law was much ado about very little.
“There is nothing breaking here: The congregations could already do that,” said Kurt Martens, professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America.
He said what is significant about the new law is that it makes no mention of the original proposal for the tribunal, which would have treated negligence as a crime and prosecuted it as such. ...
Washington Post
By Nicole Winfield | AP June 4
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Saturday scrapped his proposed tribunal to prosecute bishops who covered up for pedophile priests after it ran into opposition and instead clarified legal procedures to remove them if the Vatican finds they were negligent.
The new procedures sought to answer long-standing demands by survivors of abuse that the Vatican hold bishops accountable for botching abuse cases. Victims have long accused bishops of covering up for pedophiles, moving rapists from parish to parish rather than reporting them to police — and suffering no consequences.
But the new law was immediately criticized by survivors of abuse as essentially window dressing since there were already ways to investigate and dismiss bishops for wrongdoing — they were just rarely used against bishops who failed to protect their flocks from pedophiles.
Analysts suggested the new law was much ado about very little.
“There is nothing breaking here: The congregations could already do that,” said Kurt Martens, professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America.
He said what is significant about the new law is that it makes no mention of the original proposal for the tribunal, which would have treated negligence as a crime and prosecuted it as such. ...
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Opinion
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Pope Francis arrives to lead a weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican June 1, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi. (reuters_tickers). MILAN (Reuters) - Bishops found to be "negligent" when dealing with priests accused of sexual abuse of ...
| Times LIVE | - |
Bishops found to be "negligent" in dealing with predator priests in "cases of sexual abuse of minors" can be recalled, a papal decree said on Saturday. Save & Share. Email · Print. Related News. Pope prays to 'convert hearts' of IS jihadists · V
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