Church must organize itself against pedophilia: Vaticanist

Press TV (Iran)
August 25, 2014

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/25/376478/church-must-unite-against-child-abuse/

“Certainly, for the credibility of the church, it is important that the church organizes itself in the best way,” says Marko Politi, an Il Fatto-Vaticanist.

The comment comes at a time that human rights activists and the alleged victims of church pedophilia demand the implementation of immediate and practical regulations that could ensure an end to the sexual abuses by clergymen.

“I think that the UN panels are important in order to stimulate the Catholic Church to act better and better in this field,” adds Politi.

During a meeting with six victims of sexual abuse by priests at his private morning mass in the Vatican residence back on July, the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, vowed to punish clergymen who sexually abused children, describing their actions as “satanic.”

The pope said the Catholic Church “must weep and make reparation” for what it did to the children as “sexual abuse is such an ugly crime.”

Pope Francis further offered his apologies and pledged a worldwide crackdown on abuse.

Victims heavily criticize the church for failing to tackle abuse more aggressively. They also claim the pope has not done enough to protect children and punish senior officials accused of abuse.

The Roman Catholic Church has been hit by numerous scandals in the US and Europe in the past few years, including allegations of covering up the sexual abuse of children by priests to protect the pedophiles as well as its own reputation.

Back in May, the United Nations Committee against Torture accused the church of ducking responsibility in the case of sexual abuse by priests. The committee also blasted the Vatican’s practice of transferring abusing clergymen from parish to parish in a bid to hide their crimes.