Tuesday, December 31st, 2019
Stephan: Between the extensive financial corruption and the seemingly endless stories of child sexual abuse, I'm not sure what the Roman Catholic Church actually stands for. I don't mean what they say, like criminal Trump that's a charade. I mean what they do. I understand the feeling of community amongst the members of local parishes, but how does that reconcile with the reality of the church as an organization.
Pope Francis holds a ‘Protection of Minors in the Church’ meeting in February 2019 in Vatican City.
Credit: Franco Origlia/Getty
Over 900 clergy accused of sexually abusing children are not included in dioceses’ public lists of those credibly accused, AP reports.
The big picture: Sexual abuse and misconduct within the Catholic Church is a global problem that has persisted for decades. Pope Francis recently unveiled rules to make the Church accountable for reporting allegations of abuse.
- Last week, Francis rid the church of the privacy it was previously given in internal proceedings that dealt with sexual abuse by banning “pontifical secrecy” — which often protected perpetrators.
What they’re saying: Church officials told AP that without an admission of guilt, “they have to weigh releasing a name against harming the reputation of priests who may have been falsely accused.”
- Naming priests can also open church officials to lawsuits from accused priests who maintain their innocence, AP reports.
Flashback: Francis concluded a Vatican summit on sexual abuse in February by calling for […]
