BishopAccountability.org
	Guidelines, Really? National Survivor Advocates Coalition May 17, 2011 http://nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/editorials/ On Monday, the Vatican published its "Circular Letter to assist Episcopal Conferences in developing guidelines for dealing with cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by clerics." This missive, described by the Vatican's own news service as "short but very dense" comes at the historical juncture when: the money total for settlements in the United States alone is over $3 billion, the scandal is making regular appearances in the print and broadcast media in the United States, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Chile, Mexico, Spain, England, Wales, Scotland, Australia, Malta, Canada, Netherlands – to name a few. the scandal is a regular item for papal trips and we are within the 60 day window of response time for the Vatican to the lawsuit filed against Pope Benedict and other Vatican officials and the best the Vatican can put forward is the development of "guidelines" by bishops? The Church does not ascribe to The Ten Guidelines. It believes in The Ten Commandments. It does not have Guidelines of the Church; it has Precepts of the Church. It does not have guidelines formed through a Circular Letter approach for abortion, ordination, or homosexual persons. It has policy. In addition to the lack of mandated reporting to law enforcement, a proscription for hierarchy accountability, and a preponderance of intentionally vague language, we point out to our readers that the document also includes two whipping backhands of rebuke to laity: the first is in the following phrasing " consultative bodies of review and discernment concerning individual cases, foreseen in some places, cannot substitute for the discernment and potestas regiminis of individual bishops; and the second is the total lack of mention of religious women or responsibilities regarding abuse by the Religious Superiors of Women. This deliberate omission is really a double whammy. So much a rebuke is it that they are not even mentioned. To save the bishops of the world time, effort, and money that will otherwise be spent on staff, light bills for late night meetings in chanceries, and takeout meals, plus the computers, toners, and paper for mountains of edited texts, we are providing a response for sending to the Vatican. This list will fit on one piece of paper and will free up the better part of year: It is a crime to rape or sodomize a child or a minor Priests, whether secular or religious, who do it are no longer priests Nuns who do it are no longer nuns. Religious brothers who do it are no longer religious brothers. Bishops who cover up for priests or nuns who do it are no longer bishops. Same holds true for cardinals and popes. Priests, bishops, cardinals, popes and religious women and men who have information regarding abuse by priests, bishops, cardinals, popes and religious women and men will provide it to law enforcement Crimes will be reported to police. In the countries of the world where the police cannot be trusted, information will be provided to a newly created independent reporting unit based on the prototype model of the International Court of Justice, to be staffed by law enforcement officials of the highest caliber with the bill sent to the Vatican. Bishops, priests, cardinals and popes, religious women and men will walk with and care for their brother priests, bishops, cardinals and popes, religious brothers and sisters who are religious women who are prosecuted and found guilty of sexual abuse of a child or a minor to prison and beyond. Same goes for being companions on the tough road for those who are prosecuted and found to be innocent. Priests, bishops, cardinals, popes and nuns, religious women and men will be the leaders for reform of statutes of limitations. When expert help is needed for victims and their families, they get it. Bishops, cardinals and popes take their own advice: listen to the victims. Same goes for priests, religious women and men: listen to the victims. Short of the simple, pointed and direct approach, the Vatican will only continue to layer pancake makeup on a heavily ridged face. All that does is increase the disfigurement in the eyes of the beholders.
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