NEWS: Papal Decree or Obstructing Justice?

CULTURE: Papal Decree or Obstructing Justice?

In May of 2001, a letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was sent to every bishop in the Catholic church. The letter, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, answered some of the long standing questions that bishops had concerning the delivery of the Eucharist, but also included an order that prevented investigations into allegations of pedophilia until the victim turned 18. It also reserved that the “functions of judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative” can only be performed by priests. Victims believe they are obstructing justice (Obnoxious Salon.com Web-Commercial)

If a priest were to step forward and claim that another priest, or bishop, fucked a child, the Catholic church can deny that priest communion with God. I wonder what Jesus would say if you told him that someone who protected the lambs from the wolves has been sent to the slaughter.

I don't have as much of a problem with religion as a lot of people here, but dammit this pisses me off. Why would anyone want to protect pedophiles from being brought to justice? If a priest is accused of molestation, do an investigation, excommunicate them (if the accusation are found to be true) and let the legal system do their job. But to sweep this under the rug is absolutely deplorable.

[Edited on Apr 27, 2005 by mamet]

You can look at it two ways: on one hand it protects priests from wild accusations and the effects of a witch hunt, but on the other hand this could obstruct justice. I'm all for forgiveness and redemption and level-headedness, but people need to be held accountable for what they do.

Religious fundamentalists are often fuckwits. I see no reason why people expect the Catholic church to be any different.

praise the lord!

sounds like the 2 minutes in the penalty box for these fucking rapists just ended. game on!!

GJ Pope! Way to go!

From the Wacky people that brought you the Crusades!!!...........

As an ex-catholic who was physically abused (not sexually!) by a nun as a child, I'm not by any means a Catholic apologist.

HOWEVER, the poster of this thread should note that since he was Cardinal Ratzinger in 2001, anything he wrote then would not be a Papal Decree.

Also, anyone who's remotely Catholic or involved in the legal system (or even committed ex-Catholic atheists like myself) knows that things said to a priest at confession do not and cannot be revealed to police. Given the seperation of church and state, prosecutors don't generally even bother subpeonaing priests to get testimony based upon confessions.

If there is an exception, it may be in cases of murder, but I haven't been forced to go to confession in more than 20 years so my recollections are understandably hazy.


[Edited on Apr 27, 2005 6:42PM]

As a currently Catholic, albeit a bad one, I think something else should be noted. Ratzinger's policy was not only before he became Pope, it was a year before 2002. It wasn't until 2002 that everyone became fully aware of the mess and a fucking mess it was! But the blame for the mess falls squarely at the feet of Cardinal Law and the other US bishops that were too cowardly. Even the Vatican can't see all the way into the churches here in the US.

[Edited on Apr 27, 2005 9:27PM]

[Edited on Apr 27, 2005 9:28PM]

WOW....FUCKING WOW.

that makes me sick