Monday, August 25, 2014

The Vatican still doesn't get it

The Roman Catholic Papal Nuncio in the Dominican Republic, basically the Vatican's Ambassador, was discovered to be a child abuser. He was whisked back to Vatican City and laicized. From the NY Times:
But far from settling the matter, the Vatican has stirred an outcry because it helped Mr. Wesolowski avoid criminal prosecution and a possible jail sentence in the Dominican Republic. Acting against its own guidelines for handling abuse cases, the church failed to inform the local authorities of the evidence against him, secretly recalled him to Rome last year before he could be investigated, and then invoked diplomatic immunity for Mr. Wesolowski so that he could not face trial in the Dominican Republic.

The Vatican’s handling of the case shows both the changes the church has made in dealing with sexual abuse, and what many critics call its failures. When it comes to removing pedophiles from the priesthood, the Vatican is moving more assertively and swiftly than before. But as Mr. Wesolowski’s case suggests, the church continues to be reluctant to report people suspected of abuse to the local authorities and allow them to face justice in secular courts.
Meanwhile,  the Bishop in Kansas City remains in office, despite being convicted of a crime of failing to report child abuse.


2 comments:

JCF said...

}-0<<< <---makes vomit-face

dr.primrose said...

According to a number of news repors, the Vatican has now stripped Wesolowski's diplomatic immunity.