By MJP CAMPBELL - YOUNG FREETHOUGHT
Updated: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:54:17 UTC

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Today’s letter published by the Vatican, written by the current Pope, Joseph Ratzinger, is a subversive excuse for a true apology and an honest acknowledgment of guilt on the part of the pontiff . Issued in response to the growing media furore around grievous child rape carried out by the Church, the document doesn’t go nearly far enough. Addressed “To The Catholics Of Ireland”, Ratzinger directly writes to each party affected, whilst accepting no personal responsibility for the ‘scandal’ he knew more about than anyone else.

As prefect of the Inquisition, rebranded in 1983 as “The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith”, for 23 years between 1981 and 2005 when he was elected Bishop of Rome, he was responsible for overseeing child abuse allegations from 2001 onward. In May of that year, he sent an (separate) infamous letter, in secret, to all bishops, that was made public in 2005, after the Cardinal’s successful election (I’ve been unable to find a copy in translation, but for those of you who study Latin, the original letter can be found here). Its contents are well known by now, and graces blogs and websites all over the web. I’m only happy to add to this number. It states that investigations into child abuse allegations should be “restrained by a perpetual silence” and “conducted in the most secretive way”. The penalty for leaking? – Excommunication. Ratzinger’s despicable letter ends “Cases of this kind are subject to the pontifical secret”. It also states that all investigations are to be conducted within the Church and that such jurisdiction ends 10 years after the victim turns 18 years old.

At the time, there was outcry from all decent commentators. Daniel Shea, a lawyer for two victims of priestly molestation, stated it simply showed “an obstruction of justice”. All cases were to go through Ratzinger’s desk, and could be then be sent to ‘private tribunals’ where the “functions of judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative [could] validly be performed for these cases only by priests”.
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TAGGED: ABUSE, MORALITY, RELIGION