Friday, January 21, 2011

Vatican letter denial ‘dishonest spin’

THE Vatican denials that a 1997 letter to bishops urged them not to carry out mandatory reporting of clerical child sex abuse was labelled "dishonest spin" by anti-abuse campaigners.

Fresh controversy over the letter erupted following Monday night’s Would You Believe programme on RTÉ about alleged attempts by the Catholic hierarchy in Rome to staunch the flow of information about clerical child sex abuse here.

In the letter, written by Archbishop Luciano Storero, then the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, it was stated that "the situation of ‘mandatory reporting’ gives rise to serious reservations of both a moral and a canonical nature".

It also suggested canon law "must be meticulously followed" and bishops who imposed sanctions against alleged offenders outside the remit of canon law could see those sanctions overturned by the Vatican.

Abuse campaigners said the contents of the letter were shocking and proof that many senior figures in the Church in 1990s had sought to limit the exposure placed on offenders, at the expense of victims.

Internationally, the letter also placed fresh doubt on Vatican claims it had never asked bishops anywhere to withhold evidence or information on crimes from police.

Yesterday, Vatican spokesman, Rev Federico Lombardi, said the letter had been aimed at ensuring bishops closely followed Church law to avoid a scenario where abusive priests could return to ministry on the technicality of any local mishandling of the disciplinary process.

"One must note the letter in no way says the country’s laws must not be followed," Fr Lombardi said.

He claimed the Vatican did not have "a universal, specific position on mandatory reporting" due to the different laws which apply in different countries, but added bishops had been instructed to respect the laws of their country.

But abuse survivor Andrew Madden said: "It is just dishonest spin. Any reading of that letter makes it clear bishops are expected to disregard reporting to local authorities.

"It does not absolve the Irish bishops of anything."

A spokesperson for the Irish bishops said Pope Benedict in his letter to Irish Catholics last year had asked Church figures to follow the Safeguarding Children guidelines and maintained a policy of mandatory reporting of abuse allegations.

The spokesman said each Irish bishop has also signed a "memorandum of understanding" with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church which commits them to those guidelines.

Maeve Lewis, director of the One in Four support group, said the letter showed bishops were left hanging between having to abide by Irish law, Catholic Church law and guidelines they had agreed themselves.

"It certainly created a dilemma for bishops as to whether they should follow the canon law of Rome or the civil law."

Ms Lewis said the documentary and comments by Bishop Michael Smith showed senior clergy understood the letter to be a directive that mandatory reporting was contrary to canon law. "There’s no doubt about that," she said.

SIC: IEX/IE