Bishops do not have to report child abuse, Vatican says

The Catholic Church is telling newly appointed bishops it is "not necessarily" their duty to report accusations of clerical child abuse to authorities.

A document explaining how senior clergy members ought to deal with allegations of abuse suggests only victims or their families should make the decision to report abuse to police.
The document, recently released by the Vatican, emphasises that bishops' only duty is to address such allegations internally - though it says they must be aware of local laws.

Details were reported by John Allen, associate editor of the Catholic News Site Cruxnow.com.
“According to the state of civil laws of each country where reporting is obligatory, it is not necessarily the duty of the bishop to report suspects to authorities, the police or state prosecutors in the moment when they are made aware of crimes or sinful deeds,” the document states.

The guidelines were written by the controversial monsignor and Celtic mad psychotherapist Tony Anatrella, who is serving as consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Family.

Although the guide acknowledges "the church has been particularly affected by sexual crimes committed against children," it emphasises statistics showing the vast majority of sexual assaults against children are committed within the family and by friends and neighbours, The Guardian reports.

 

Yay ....

20 pager coming up!

 

No chance...

No one gives a **** about this + there's nothing to defend.

 

This is surely a Golden age of General Chat , with the return of Med Dog one of the forums all time greats and King Jono of Acworth posting again these are exciting times.

 

Don't...You'll summon WebelTwat...

 

Sticky this please @Ciaran

 

We'll see...

 

The guidelines were written by the controversial monsignor and Celtic mad psychotherapist Tony Anatrella, who is serving as consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Family.

You haven't lost it anyway

 

The Catholic Church is the Sunderland of the religious world.

 

If he was up to date it would have been Sunderland mad....

 

beat me to it

 

That joke has been HILARIOUS every ****ing time it's been made!!!!!!!

 

Doubtful, this bait is rancid.

 

Maybe - but we're experts at polishing turds and turning sow's ears into purses.

 

You won't be Contributing to it then ?

 

DEV¬S BITTEN

REGARDS
GARTH <ROFL>

 

TWO L8
RGDS
GRTH

 

We always knew Medro...

 

Not in any meaningful way...no.

Being a man of no religious persuasion it bothers me not one iota, but I suspect this thread was not meant for the likes of me anyway.

 

I might watch Spotlight tonight