ROME
PressEsc
Contributed by Ugo Lancione, Vatican Correspondent
Friday, 27 May 2005
A Catholic rights group is pressing the Italian police to press criminal charges after the authorities in Rome last week busted a massive child abuse ring run by Catholic priests.
Catholics Against Chid Abuse (CACA) wants the police to arrest Pope Benedict XVI and charge with aiding and abetting sexual abuse of children and obstructing the course of justice by covering up crimes against children by other priests.
In May 2001 the Cardinal sent a secret letter, obtain by the respected British newspaper Observer, to every Catholic bishop asserting the church's right to hold its inquiries behind closed doors and keep the evidence confidential for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood.
CACA asserts that this constitutes a blatant obstruction of justice and the Pope should stand trial for the alleged crime.