December 25, 2005

Two months after Ferns report, victims await response from Vatican

IRELAND
Drogheda Independent

Victims of clerical sex abuse are still waiting for a response from the Vatican to the Ferns report - published two months ago today.

It accused Rome of failing to properly alert bishops and priests to the dangers of child abuse by members of their clergy.

It also revealed that, for more than 30 years, the Vatican obliged victims, witnesses and priests who investigated claims to swear an oath of secrecy or face excommunication.

Colm O'Gorman of the One-in-Four charity says the report is too significant to ignore.

"We must remember that it was a state enquiry, albeit an unstatutory one, was the first report ever internationally to make any finding of responsibility on the Vatican's part for clerical sexual abuse", he said.

Posted by kshaw at December 25, 2005 07:26 AM