ROME
The New York Times
By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO
Published: February 7, 2012
ROME — At an international conference backed by the Vatican to discuss the prevention of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy, a psychologist said Tuesday that the church should listen to victims rather than focus their attention on priests accused of wrongdoing.
The psychologist, Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti, an advocate for the prevention of child abuse, said about 95 percent of allegations were well founded.
“Child molesters must know that they have no safe sanctuary in our church,” he said in prepared remarks.
Monsignor Rossetti said he believed that church leaders — usually called on to deal with their own priests — should not handle such cases by themselves, but should consult legal and criminal experts to conduct investigations and advise bishops. All too often, offending priests have manipulated and lied to their superiors, he said. …
Terence McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org , said the conference was intended to “change the subject and look like progress.”
“The Vatican is afraid, and it has reason to be,” he said, in light of recent charges against the church, including a complaint filed against the Vatican with the International Criminal Court.
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