Torture the Little Children? The Catholic Church Says It’s Not Responsible

[rug]

At a United Nations hearing the Vatican tries to turn the moral question of whether child abuse is torture into a legal debate about jurisdictions.

05.06.14
Barbie Latza Nadeau

This may come as a huge surprise to many Catholics, but the Holy See is claiming it doesn’t really bear legal responsibility for how they or even their priests behave. Too good to be true? Actually, too horrible to be believed. What the Vatican is claiming this week before a United Nations panel is that, really, the question of priests sexually abusing little kids is a matter for local law enforcement. And, no, the physical pain and mental anguish inflicted on children by pedophile prelates should not be called “torture,” at least as defined by the U.N.

When the Vatican’s U.N. ambassador appeared in front of the U.N.’s Convention Against Torture in Geneva on Monday, the issues were about jurisdiction, not spiritual guidance and the Roman Catholic Church’s moral responsibility for errant clerics. “It should be stressed, particularly in light of much confusion, that the Holy See has no jurisdiction over every member of the Catholic Church,” said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, who represented the Vatican as a signatory of the convention on torture.

In his opening remarks, released in advance to the press, Tomasi went on to say, “The Holy See wishes to reiterate that the persons who live in a particular country are under the jurisdiction of the legitimate authorities of that country and are thus subject to the domestic law and the consequences contained therein. State authorities are obligated to protect, and when necessary, prosecute persons under their jurisdiction.”

“Not our problem” and “they don’t work for us” may have become the boilerplate answers on the issue of who is ultimately responsible for priestly child abuse. But, curiously, when it comes to nearly every other subject, from doctrinal issues like preaching against birth control and for sexual abstinence, to how those spreading the Catholic message behave, including nuns “pushing feminist themes,” the Catholic Church at least seems to want total jurisdiction over its flocks and its shepherds.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/06/torture-the-little-children-the-catholic-church-says-it-s-not-responsible.html

This is a simplistic report of what the UN hearings are about but what's going on now in Geneva is very important.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. Moreover, when members of the hierarchy are complicit in covering up the crimes

And this is apparently official policy, it is hard to take Archbishop Tomasi's argument seriously.

There is also Cardinal Law, who is living in gracious retirement in Rome, apparently so that he will not have to face a court in Massachusetts. If the Vatican were so anxious to let the local authorities have their way, Law should be on the next flight to Boston.

[47of74]

2. I'd bet this was Christ's reaction;

[okasha]

3. Maybe.

But the gentleman had a temper. I think his response might be more along the lines of how he dealt with the moneychangers.

[47of74]

4. Facepalm would be the first reaction.

Followed by the whip and turning over tables.