Vatican: Bishops Need Not Report Abuse to Cops

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

Ms Devlin was responding to reports of a Vatican training document for new bishops which said that, though bishops must be aware of local laws, their only duty was to address allegations internally.

The Truth, Justice and Healing Council, which handles the Catholic church’s engagement with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, has been approached for comment.

Although there are no exact numbers of victims and abusive priests worldwide, the Vatican investigated about 3,000 claims of priestly abuse between 2001 and 2010.

“It’s not surprising in the sense that there are certainly some in the Catholic Church who would say, “Listen, bishops should not be the ones who turn in their priest to the police or the civil prosecutor, that should be up to families and victims”, he said.

Over $260 million has been spent since 2013 on prevention programs for bishops, so it is baffling that what they are being taught may have little to no influence on stemming sexual abuse.

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said in a statement, “It’s infuriating, and risky, that so many believe the myth that bishops are changing how they deal with abuse”. Regardless of what bishops here or overseas say, there is an obligation in most states to report abuse.

“Given the history of clerical abuse in this country, we all know the sort of culture that that can create – and the very unsafe position it leaves vulnerable children in”, she told Newstalk Breakfast.

In the United States, mandated reporting laws vary by state. Msgr. Anatrella said that decision is up to victims and their families.

The training guideline was written by French monsignor Tony Anatrella, a consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Family, and released by the Vatican earlier in February.

The Vatican claims disingenuously that it has no obligation to even attempt to instruct the Church worldwide to report abuse to secular authorities, and to instruct that evidence, including that which is secreted under the auspices of the Vatican, be preserved and provided to those authorities as needed.

It did state that clergy must be aware of laws in the area they minister.

Dorris said there has been a lot of talk about changes that will be made within the church, but nothing has actually been accomplished to make sure those responsible for sexual abuse are held accountable.

“And the failure to invite representatives from that commission to make a presentation like this – to me that’s the real question”.