Pope abolishes rule that kept church sex abuse cases top secret

Authored by independent.co.uk and submitted by Sariel007

Pope Francis has issued an order removing the highest level of secrecy covering child sex abuse cases involving the clergy, a move demanded by campaigners as part of sweeping changes to the way the Catholic church deals with such allegations.

Critics said the claim of “pontifical secrecy” was used by accused Church officials to avoid cooperating with authorities.

The measures brought by the Pope on Tuesday change universal church law, requiring the reporting of suspicions of sex abuse to civil authorities and forbidding attempts to silence those who report abuse or allege they have been a victim.

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The pontiff decreed that information in abuse cases must still be protected by church leaders to ensure its “security, integrity and confidentiality”.

But the Vatican’s leading sex crimes investigator, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, called the reform an “epochal decision” that will allow for better coordination with police forces across the world and open up lines of communication with victims.

Shape Created with Sketch. Pope Francis visits Ireland – in pictures Show all 55 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Pope Francis visits Ireland – in pictures 1/55 Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Mass at the Phoenix Park, in Dublin AP 2/55 Pope Francis arrives at Phoenix Park for a Papal Mass of the World Meeting of Families in Dublin EPA 3/55 A vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby home in Tuam. The vigil coincides with the Phoenix park mass which is taking place in Dublin held by Pope Francis. Excavations at the site in 2017 revealed underground structures which held babies bodies with ages ranging from 35 weeks to three years old with most of the dead buried in the 1950s when the facility was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic religious order of nuns who received unmarried pregnant women to give birth Getty 4/55 An aerial view of the crowd at Phoenix Park Getty Images 5/55 Children queue for communion during Pope Francis' closing Mass PA 6/55 The Stand4Truth rally gathers outside a former Magdalene laundry in Dublin as part of the demonstrations against clerical sex abuse PA 7/55 Pope Francis leads the Holy Mass at Phoenix Park AFP/Getty 8/55 Pope Francis arrives to celebrate the Holy Mass at the Phoenix Park AP 9/55 The names of the victims are read out as a vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby home Getty Images 10/55 Pope Francis leads the Holy Mass at Phoenix Park AFP/Getty 11/55 A member of the clergy carries a bowl of incense PA 12/55 AP 13/55 A vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies Getty Images 14/55 Members of the public pray as they watch Pope Francis deliver a Papal Mass of the World Meeting of Families at Phoenix Park EPA 15/55 Pope Francis attends the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families at Phoenix Park in Dublin PA 16/55 Pope Francis passes by a banner of a protester as he leaves St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AP 17/55 Pope Francis speaks during his visit to the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless in Dublin AP 18/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on Christchurch PA 19/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on College Green PA 20/55 Members of the public wave at Pope Francis as he travels through the city Getty Images 21/55 Pope Francis laughs as he leaves St Mary's Pro Cathedral during his visit to Dublin Reuters 22/55 Two boys wave flags after climbing a post as they wait for Pope Francis Getty 23/55 Pairs of baby shoes are hung from black ribbons on Gardiner Street in Dublin in memory of the children who died at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway PA 24/55 Crowds on O'Connell Street PA 25/55 WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 26/55 Pope Francis memorabilia on sale on O'Connell Street PA 27/55 Pope Francis arrives at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral during his visit to Ireland to attend the 2018 World Meeting of Families AFP/Getty 28/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on O'Connell Street PA 29/55 Pope Francis addresses the congragation at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AFP/Getty 30/55 Stephen O'Brien selling bottles of holy water from the St Mary's Pro Cathedral PA 31/55 Pope Francis prays inside St Mary's Pro Cathedral Reuters 32/55 A man waves a rainbow flag behind a model of a pope which stands in the window above a bar Getty 33/55 People hold a banner against Pope Francis on the way to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AP 34/55 Nuns wait by the side of the road for Pope Francis Reuters 35/55 A model of a pope is placed in the window above a bar as crowds wait for Pope Francis to travel through the city Getty 36/55 Crowds on O'Connell Street, Dublin waiting to see Pope Francis as he travels in the Popemobile PA 37/55 Pope Francis waves to wellwishers as he arrives at Dublin Airport Getty 38/55 His visit, the first by a Pope since John Paul II's in 1979 is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Catholics to a series of events in Dublin and Knock PA 39/55 Pope Francis talks to journalists aboard a plane flying from Fiumicino aiport to Dublin AFP/Getty 40/55 LGBT protestors from Dublin Pride and We Are Church with flags and umbrellas on Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin to remember the victims of clerical sex abuse ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Francis PA 41/55 Pope Francis disembarks from the aircraft as he arrives at Dublin Airport Getty 42/55 Woman wait for Pope Francis to drive past, in Dublin Reuters 43/55 Reuters 44/55 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar delivers a speech watched by Pope Francis in St. Patrick's Hall at Dublin Castle WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 45/55 Protesters hold banners during a demonstration against clerical sex abuse, in Dublin Reuters 46/55 Pope Francis plants a tree during a meeting with Irish President Michael D Higgins, at Aras an Uachtarain PA 47/55 Pope Francis walks with the President of Ireland Michael Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 48/55 Reuters 49/55 Pope Francis, center, is flanked by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, right, as they arrive to meet authorities, in Dublin AP 50/55 Protestors wearing baby shoes, to signify the children who died in mother and baby homes in Ireland, protest in Dublin ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Franci PA 51/55 Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar AFP/Getty 52/55 Pope Francis speaks with President Michael D Higgins in his study during a visit to Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park, Dublin PA 53/55 Navy band march prior to the arrival of Pope Francis at the Presidential residence in Dublin AP 54/55 Eddie McGuinness from Dublin LGBTQ Pride carries a rainbow flag across Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Francis PA 55/55 A message left by Pope Francis in the visitors book at Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park PA 1/55 Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Mass at the Phoenix Park, in Dublin AP 2/55 Pope Francis arrives at Phoenix Park for a Papal Mass of the World Meeting of Families in Dublin EPA 3/55 A vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby home in Tuam. The vigil coincides with the Phoenix park mass which is taking place in Dublin held by Pope Francis. Excavations at the site in 2017 revealed underground structures which held babies bodies with ages ranging from 35 weeks to three years old with most of the dead buried in the 1950s when the facility was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic religious order of nuns who received unmarried pregnant women to give birth Getty 4/55 An aerial view of the crowd at Phoenix Park Getty Images 5/55 Children queue for communion during Pope Francis' closing Mass PA 6/55 The Stand4Truth rally gathers outside a former Magdalene laundry in Dublin as part of the demonstrations against clerical sex abuse PA 7/55 Pope Francis leads the Holy Mass at Phoenix Park AFP/Getty 8/55 Pope Francis arrives to celebrate the Holy Mass at the Phoenix Park AP 9/55 The names of the victims are read out as a vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby home Getty Images 10/55 Pope Francis leads the Holy Mass at Phoenix Park AFP/Getty 11/55 A member of the clergy carries a bowl of incense PA 12/55 AP 13/55 A vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 named babies Getty Images 14/55 Members of the public pray as they watch Pope Francis deliver a Papal Mass of the World Meeting of Families at Phoenix Park EPA 15/55 Pope Francis attends the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families at Phoenix Park in Dublin PA 16/55 Pope Francis passes by a banner of a protester as he leaves St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AP 17/55 Pope Francis speaks during his visit to the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless in Dublin AP 18/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on Christchurch PA 19/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on College Green PA 20/55 Members of the public wave at Pope Francis as he travels through the city Getty Images 21/55 Pope Francis laughs as he leaves St Mary's Pro Cathedral during his visit to Dublin Reuters 22/55 Two boys wave flags after climbing a post as they wait for Pope Francis Getty 23/55 Pairs of baby shoes are hung from black ribbons on Gardiner Street in Dublin in memory of the children who died at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway PA 24/55 Crowds on O'Connell Street PA 25/55 WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 26/55 Pope Francis memorabilia on sale on O'Connell Street PA 27/55 Pope Francis arrives at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral during his visit to Ireland to attend the 2018 World Meeting of Families AFP/Getty 28/55 Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowds on O'Connell Street PA 29/55 Pope Francis addresses the congragation at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AFP/Getty 30/55 Stephen O'Brien selling bottles of holy water from the St Mary's Pro Cathedral PA 31/55 Pope Francis prays inside St Mary's Pro Cathedral Reuters 32/55 A man waves a rainbow flag behind a model of a pope which stands in the window above a bar Getty 33/55 People hold a banner against Pope Francis on the way to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral AP 34/55 Nuns wait by the side of the road for Pope Francis Reuters 35/55 A model of a pope is placed in the window above a bar as crowds wait for Pope Francis to travel through the city Getty 36/55 Crowds on O'Connell Street, Dublin waiting to see Pope Francis as he travels in the Popemobile PA 37/55 Pope Francis waves to wellwishers as he arrives at Dublin Airport Getty 38/55 His visit, the first by a Pope since John Paul II's in 1979 is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Catholics to a series of events in Dublin and Knock PA 39/55 Pope Francis talks to journalists aboard a plane flying from Fiumicino aiport to Dublin AFP/Getty 40/55 LGBT protestors from Dublin Pride and We Are Church with flags and umbrellas on Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin to remember the victims of clerical sex abuse ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Francis PA 41/55 Pope Francis disembarks from the aircraft as he arrives at Dublin Airport Getty 42/55 Woman wait for Pope Francis to drive past, in Dublin Reuters 43/55 Reuters 44/55 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar delivers a speech watched by Pope Francis in St. Patrick's Hall at Dublin Castle WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 45/55 Protesters hold banners during a demonstration against clerical sex abuse, in Dublin Reuters 46/55 Pope Francis plants a tree during a meeting with Irish President Michael D Higgins, at Aras an Uachtarain PA 47/55 Pope Francis walks with the President of Ireland Michael Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain WMOF2018/Maxwell Photography/Getty 48/55 Reuters 49/55 Pope Francis, center, is flanked by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, right, as they arrive to meet authorities, in Dublin AP 50/55 Protestors wearing baby shoes, to signify the children who died in mother and baby homes in Ireland, protest in Dublin ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Franci PA 51/55 Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar AFP/Getty 52/55 Pope Francis speaks with President Michael D Higgins in his study during a visit to Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park, Dublin PA 53/55 Navy band march prior to the arrival of Pope Francis at the Presidential residence in Dublin AP 54/55 Eddie McGuinness from Dublin LGBTQ Pride carries a rainbow flag across Ha'Penny Bridge, Dublin ahead of the start of the visit to Ireland by Pope Francis PA 55/55 A message left by Pope Francis in the visitors book at Aras an Uachtarain in Phoenix Park PA

Francis also raised from 14 to 18 the cutoff age below which the Vatican considers “pornographic” media to be images of child sexual abuse.

The new norms are the latest amendment to the Catholic church’s in-house canon law – a parallel legal code that metes out ecclesial justice for crimes against the faith – in this case relating to the sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable people by priests, bishops or cardinals. In this legal system, the worst punishment a priest can incur is being defrocked, or dismissed from the clerical state.

Pope Benedict XVI had decreed in 2001 that these cases must be dealt with under “pontifical secret”, the highest form of secrecy in the church. The Vatican had long insisted that such confidentiality was necessary to protect the privacy of the victim, the reputation of the accused and the integrity of the canonical process.

However, such secrecy also served to keep the scandal hidden, prevent law enforcement from accessing documents and silence victims, many of whom often believed that “pontifical secret” prevented them from going to the police to report their priestly abusers.

While the Vatican has long tried to insist this was not the case, it also never mandated that bishops and religious superiors report sex crimes to police, and in the past has encouraged bishops not to do so.

20stump18 on December 18th, 2019 at 03:22 UTC »

Good. Expose all the dirty kid fuckers.

JustWhatAmI on December 18th, 2019 at 03:05 UTC »

The measures brought by the Pope on Tuesday change universal church law, requiring the reporting of suspicions of sex abuse to civil authorities and forbidding attempts to silence those who report abuse or allege they have been a victim.

Francis also raised from 14 to 18 the cutoff age below which the Vatican considers “pornographic” media to be images of child sexual abuse.

The new norms are the latest amendment to the Catholic church’s in-house canon law – a parallel legal code that metes out ecclesial justice for crimes against the faith – in this case relating to the sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable people by priests, bishops or cardinals. In this legal system, the worst punishment a priest can incur is being defrocked, or dismissed from the clerical state.

friarsclub on December 18th, 2019 at 02:46 UTC »

It's sad that this is uplifting news