Post by account_disabled on Mar 12, 2024 4:19:16 GMT
To try to minimize one of the great crises that the Church has been facing for years, Pope Francis has decided to make radical changes in the law of the Catholic Church, in order to hold bishops responsible for sexual abuse or cover-ups. The pope requires reporting abuses as well as investigating cases of cover-ups.
In this way he wants to hold bishops responsible for sexual abuse or cover-ups, forcing clerics to report these types of cases and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if necessary.
Report abuses and investigate cases of cover-ups: Pope Francis
In a document with the force of law, the Church throughout the world is obliged to act decisively. Its motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi (You are the light of the world) imposes the duty to report known episodes of pedophilia to the ecclesiastical authorities and also to the civil authorities in the event that the laws of the place where the events occur. they demand it - although the secrecy of confession is maintained.
It should be noted that the decree on abuse of children and adults requires and encourages local churches to involve lay experts in investigations.
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This decree is the second action by the Pontiff since a summit on abuse held at the Vatican in February.
With it, time limits are established for France Mobile Number List each of the investigations carried out at the local level, and for the Vatican's response to them, in addition to allowing retroactive reports.
It also says that bishops with conflicts of interest should be excluded from investigations and can be held responsible for abuse of power in cases of sexual relations with adults.
The 19-article decree, called "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" (You are the light of the world), raises the age of adulthood in cases of sexual abuse to 18 from 16. It also covers possession of child pornography.
In addition, it also says that local Church officials cannot order those who report abuse to remain silent and that senior bishops should make provisions to prevent subordinates from destroying documents, if necessary.
Pope's statements on homosexual children
Clergy should follow local law on whether they are required to report suspected sexual abuse to civil authorities.
The new decree will come into force on June 1, with it they want to have greater protection and attention to the victims who have been very critical of the response of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
The obligation to report “without delay” will no longer depend on the individual, on his or her individual conscience. The Pope now converts it into a legal and universal precept for the entire Church, whom he warns that, in some countries, it is not enough for the religious who knows of a case to transmit it to the ecclesiastical authority. You have to report it to civilians. “These rules apply without prejudice to the rights and obligations established in each place by state laws, in particular those relating to possible information obligations to the competent civil authorities,” the text says.
Dioceses will now be required to establish within one year a system that is easily accessible to the public so that anyone can report cases of abuse.
In an interview broadcast by the Vatican media, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, highlights the relevance of this change, and points out that with this document “no more is being asked of the bishops than has already been done.” asked priests for years”, and adds: “Not only should there be no clericalism, nor elitism among us. "We have said for years that priests must conform to certain strict rules, and why shouldn't bishops and others in the church hierarchy.
In this way he wants to hold bishops responsible for sexual abuse or cover-ups, forcing clerics to report these types of cases and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if necessary.
Report abuses and investigate cases of cover-ups: Pope Francis
In a document with the force of law, the Church throughout the world is obliged to act decisively. Its motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi (You are the light of the world) imposes the duty to report known episodes of pedophilia to the ecclesiastical authorities and also to the civil authorities in the event that the laws of the place where the events occur. they demand it - although the secrecy of confession is maintained.
It should be noted that the decree on abuse of children and adults requires and encourages local churches to involve lay experts in investigations.
Pope Francis calls on the Davos Forum to assume responsibility for poverty
This decree is the second action by the Pontiff since a summit on abuse held at the Vatican in February.
With it, time limits are established for France Mobile Number List each of the investigations carried out at the local level, and for the Vatican's response to them, in addition to allowing retroactive reports.
It also says that bishops with conflicts of interest should be excluded from investigations and can be held responsible for abuse of power in cases of sexual relations with adults.
The 19-article decree, called "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" (You are the light of the world), raises the age of adulthood in cases of sexual abuse to 18 from 16. It also covers possession of child pornography.
In addition, it also says that local Church officials cannot order those who report abuse to remain silent and that senior bishops should make provisions to prevent subordinates from destroying documents, if necessary.
Pope's statements on homosexual children
Clergy should follow local law on whether they are required to report suspected sexual abuse to civil authorities.
The new decree will come into force on June 1, with it they want to have greater protection and attention to the victims who have been very critical of the response of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
The obligation to report “without delay” will no longer depend on the individual, on his or her individual conscience. The Pope now converts it into a legal and universal precept for the entire Church, whom he warns that, in some countries, it is not enough for the religious who knows of a case to transmit it to the ecclesiastical authority. You have to report it to civilians. “These rules apply without prejudice to the rights and obligations established in each place by state laws, in particular those relating to possible information obligations to the competent civil authorities,” the text says.
Dioceses will now be required to establish within one year a system that is easily accessible to the public so that anyone can report cases of abuse.
In an interview broadcast by the Vatican media, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, highlights the relevance of this change, and points out that with this document “no more is being asked of the bishops than has already been done.” asked priests for years”, and adds: “Not only should there be no clericalism, nor elitism among us. "We have said for years that priests must conform to certain strict rules, and why shouldn't bishops and others in the church hierarchy.
