19 January 2011
A Vatican department advised Ireland’s Catholic bishops in 1997 not to report priests suspected of child abuse to the police, a newly revealed letter shows.
Obtained by Irish broadcaster RTE, the letter shows Vatican officials rejected an initiative to begin the “mandatory reporting” of abuse claims.
The proposed policy “gives rise to serious reservations”, it says.
The Vatican has persistently said it never instructed bishops to withhold suspicions or evidence of crimes.
To read more go to the BBC site.
A Vatican department advised Ireland’s Catholic bishops in 1997 not to report priests suspected of child abuse to the police, a newly revealed letter shows.
Obtained by Irish broadcaster RTE, the letter shows Vatican officials rejected an initiative to begin the “mandatory reporting” of abuse claims.
The proposed policy “gives rise to serious reservations”, it says.
The Vatican has persistently said it never instructed bishops to withhold suspicions or evidence of crimes.
To read more go to the BBC site.
