(Vatican Radio/CNS) The Holy See representative to Geneva, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi
has told the UN Committee on the Convention Against Torture (CAT) that the Holy See
is making “every effort” to combat the “plague and scourge” of child sexual abuse
and “condemns torture, including for those who are tortured and killed before they
are born”.
The Archbishop was speaking Tuesday, in a second day of hearings before the Committee
which monitors the application of the U.N. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, among signatory states. The Holy See signed the international
treaty in 2002 and submitted its first report on adherence to the treaty in 2012.
Listen to excerpts from Arcbishiop Tomasi's intervention:
Speaking to Vatican Radio at the concluding of the hearing Abp. Tomasi described the
experience as “constructive” and added that it allowed the Holy See to make “important
clarifications”. During the hearing – which was streamed live on the internet – the
Archbishop responded to the Committees’ queries from their reading of the Holy See
report, regarding the handling of the scandal of child sexual abuse by clergy and
the issue of the Holy See jurisdiction.
He noted: “While the Holy See does not have the competency or the ability to initiate
criminal proceedings against crimes that are committed in territories outside Vatican
City State, it makes every effort to conduct ecclesiastical proceedings against clerics
against whom credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors have been presented. This
is done without substitution for or prejudices of other processes that are to be applied
by the competent judiciary system in the state in which the accused person resides.
Civil law regarding the reporting of the crime to the authorities should always be
followed”.
The Archbishop went on to outline the process and procedures in ecclesiastical proceedings
and pointed to Pope Francis establishment of a Commission for the Protection of Children
as a further effort to safeguard minors in the Church.Responding to a specific request
by the Committee, Archbishop Tomasi also provided statistics about cases of clerical
sexual abuse reported to the Vatican and the outcome of those cases.
Between 2004 and 2013, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith -- which is
charged with investigating abuse claims against clergy -- received "credible accusations"
against 3,420 priests. In the majority of cases, he said, the abuse was alleged to
have occurred between 1950 and 1989. Many of those priests are or have been jailed
by civil courts for their crimes, he said.
Between 2004 and 2013, he said, the Holy See dismissed 848 priests from the priesthood
as a result of the allegations being found to be true. In another 2,572 cases -- mainly
involving priests of an advanced age -- the men were ordered to have no contact with
children and were ordered to retreat to a life of prayer and penance.
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