Vatican Grills at UN, Seeks to Limit Responsibility on Abuse for the Second Time

By Jessica
Techsonia
May 5, 2014

http://www.techsonia.com/vatican-grills-at-un-seeks-to-limit-responsibility-on-abuse-for-the-second-time/195781/

The Vatican seeks to limit its responsibility on priest sex abuse scandal for the second time this year.

A Vatican delegation reappeared before a UN committee in Geneva over its record in dealing with child sex abuse by priests.

Vatican’s U.N. ambassador in Geneva Archbishop Silvano Tomasi stressed that the Vatican responsibility of implementing the U.N. treaty against torture applies within the walls of the Vatican City only. He added that the Holy See has no jurisdiction over every member of the Catholic Church and his power to prosecute abusive priests does not extend beyond the Vatican City. Tomasi said the state authorities are duty-bound to protect and take legal action against persons under their jurisdiction, if necessary.

In January of this year, a U.N. committee that watch over a vital treaty on children’s rights, accused the Holy See of protecting its own interests over the victims by allowing priests to rape and molested thousands of children by means of its own policies and code of silence. The committee likewise declined a similar argument made by the Vatican trying to limit its responsibility.

Meanwhile, human rights attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights Katherine Gallagher said if the UN committee finds the abuses tantamount to torture and inhuman treatment, it will open a floodgate of abuse lawsuits dating back to decades.