In 1962, a confidential document known as Crimen Sollicitationis was issued to bishops, outlining procedures for handling allegations of child abuse, homosexuality, and bestiality within the clergy. This document imposed strict secrecy on all parties involved under the threat of excommunication from the Catholic Church.
Reissued in 2001 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, the document reiterated its policies and emphasized the Code of Silence regarding cases of child abuse by priests. Cardinal Ratzinger directed that all such cases be referred to his office, maintaining exclusive authority over their handling. This policy remains in effect within the Catholic Church today.
Unfortunately, adherence to this policy has resulted in systemic failures, allowing a significant number of priests to continue abusing and putting more children at risk. Colm O’Gorman, known for exposing decades of abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland, explores these issues in his documentary “Suing the Pope.” O’Gorman argues that the Vatican’s policy of covering up sexual abuse has endangered thousands of children worldwide.
In “Sex Crimes and the Vatican,” O’Gorman delves into four separate cases of widespread clerical abuse internationally, presenting evidence that holds the Roman Catholic Church accountable for endangering children. He questions whether the Church is fulfilling its obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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