AUSTRALIA
Digitial Journal
ADELAIDE, Australia (PRWEB) October 26, 2013
An insider’s perspective can sometimes be the most clear. Father James Valladares, takes a hard look at recent child abuse allegations against the Catholic church in his new book, “Hope Springs Eternal in the Priestly Breast: A Research Study on Procedural Justice for Priests-Diocesan and Religious” (published by iUniverse).
The book is a culmination of intense research and hours of candid conversations that Valladares facilitated among both priests and religious superiors. The goal, he says, was to determine a procedure for dealing with abuse allegations that would not compromise priest’s basic right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty as well as the sacred relationship between a priest and his superior.
“The deadliest attacks to the Catholic church are coming from within its own walls,” Valladares says. “I conducted this study to show that society is effectively tarring all priests with the same brush, using the allegations against a select few to discredit others.”
The procedure that Fr. Valladares developed, which is outlined in the book, is based on Scripture, Church traditions and teachings, as well as canon law, moral theology and pastoral praxis. Using this procedure, allegations can be promptly addressed without compromising the basic right of presumed innocence.
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