If it looks foreign, it's because there are no pictures to color in.
Coloring Outside the Lines [The New York Archdiocese has an unusual new weapon against child abuse]
Catholic coloring book warns US kids of pedophile priests
Posted on 06/21/2011 7:24:28 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg
The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops on Thursday resisted calls for major changes in their child sex abuse policy despite recent cases involving priests in Kansas City and Philadelphia.
Critics say those cases raise questions about whether some bishops are even following the policy, which was crafted nine years ago to address the sex abuse crisis that was rocking the church.
The critics reacted swiftly after Thursday’s 187-5 vote, which approved a few revisions, including listing child pornography as a violation of church law.
“We are dismayed that the new policy is almost identical to the current policy, despite horrifying recent evidence in Kansas City and Philadelphia that the church’s current policies are dangerously lenient and full of loopholes,” said Terence McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org, a group that operates an online database of accused priests.
“The policy needs to be overhauled. This is a squandered opportunity and a disaster for children, not only in the United States but worldwide,” he said.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/16/2955810/catholic-bishops-resist-calls.html#ixzz1PxzrhOa3
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
I was gonna go with crazy as a mud hen but your reasoning works too.
At least these devastated victims are your children and not mine. However, my kids have to live in the same world with the children your church is destroying. And we know what Christ says about that, millstone-wise.
What doees that double-speak even mean?
Read Crimen Sollicitationis. It's all there. And it's a document that convicts Rome of its ugly, criminal, decades-long cover-up.
It instructs bishops on how to deal with allegations of child abuse against priests and has been seen by few outsiders. Critics say the document has been used to evade prosecution for sex crimes. Crimen Sollicitationis was written in 1962 in Latin and given to Catholic bishops worldwide who are ordered to keep it locked away in the church safe. It instructs them how to deal with priests who solicit sex from the confessional. It also deals with "any obscene external act ... with youths of either sex." It imposes an oath of secrecy on the child victim, the priest dealing with the allegation and any witnesses. Breaking that oath means excommunication from the Catholic Church..."Crimen Sollicitationis was enforced for 20 years by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became the Pope.
I never mentioned any blame at all. Get your facts straight. Go back to the white washed tomb.
Here is what I posted to you. Show me where I mentioned blame at all. I did call you out for posting misinformation after being corrected time and time again. But that is hardly about who is to blame for the sex abuse crisis. It is about being truthful in debate. Does that elude you?
• lastchance to Dr. Eckleburg
Do you agree with this policy?
“A presbytery has original jurisdiction in disciplinary cases involving ministers of Word and Sacrament. A presbytery may dissolve a pastoral relationship when the “Word imperatively demands it” (G-11.0103o). However, a presbytery may only place a minister on administrative
leave when allegations of child abuse have been received and the presbytery has followed the Book of Order procedures to conduct its risk evaluation to determine whether or not a minister member accused of child abuse should be placed on administrative leave (D-10.0106). It is recommended that the permanent judicial commission (PJC) members who will conduct this risk evaluation based upon the allegations and a hearing should also take into account secular legal advice.”
• lastchance to Dr. Eckleburg
I doubt seriously whether the reporter bothered reading the norms.
http://www.usccb.org/ocyp/charter.pdf
Critics amount to Bishop Accountability. What they want is for the policy to violate the civil rights of persons accused of child abuse no matter how tenuous those accusations are.
“McKiernan said he wanted the bishops to make several changes to the charter, such as requiring allegations to be immediately reported to police, promptly removing priests from duties if they’re accused of abuse, and requiring all dioceses to post detailed lists of accused priests on their websites.”
The charter already requires police be notified.
“ARTICLE 4. Dioceses/eparchies are to report an allegation of sexual abuse of a person who is a minor to the public authorities. Dioceses/eparchies are to comply with all applicable civil laws with respect to the reporting of allegations of sexual abuse of minors to civil authorities and cooperate in their investigation in accord with the law of the jurisdiction in question.
Dioceses/eparchies are to cooperate with public authorities about reporting cases even when the person is no longer a minor.
In every instance, dioceses/eparchies are to advise victims of their right to make a report to public authorities and support this right.”
I know some of the posters here have trouble with the concept of due process when it comes to Canon law. Just as in civil law the accused has the right of presumption of innocence. Though that does not preclude a Bishop from removing the accused from public ministry if the accusations are found to be credible. Just as a Dr might have his license temporarily suspended by the medical board pending the outcome of a full investigation and civil/criminal trial.
The policy does work. If people decide not to follow it that speaks no more for the validity of the policy than the fact people commit crimes speak for the validity of laws forbidding those crimes.
I won’t C & P my statement that you (to paraphrase) that you continue to post misinformation even after being corrected as the concept of being truthful in debate is so sketchy for some.
It is a hard distinction to make. After all anyone under investigation should be assumed to be guilty and not protected by due process. Oh you mean only priests in Canon law proceedings are guilty.
I wonder if that person is familiar with how professional boards conduct investigations against their members apart from and in conjunction with either civil or criminal investigations? Probably not.
What doees that double-speak even mean?
It means the same thing that it does in the Federal Jury Manual that I referenced above. The secrecy only applies to the testimony given in the investigation before a church tribunal. There no, I repeat no, restrictions on reporting the crime to civil authorities. Why is this so hard to understand? Again, take the example of grand jury. Someone witnesses Dillinger robbing a bank and is called to a grand jury to give testimony. Upon leaving the grand jury he can tell the whole world that "I saw Dillinger rob a bank." What he cannot say is "I told the grand jury that I saw Dillinger rob a bank." The same rule applies to the the accuser or witness in the proceedings described in Crimen sollicitationis. The oath applies to testimony in the case; it would prevent him from saying "I told the tribunal that Father X did such and such." But this does not prevent him from telling the police "Father X did such and such."
Read Crimen Sollicitationis. It's all there. And it's a document that convicts Rome of its ugly, criminal, decades-long cover-up.
Yes, it is all there. Perhaps you should read all of it. If you did you would find the following:
2. Bringing this unspeakable crime to trial in first instance pertains to the local Ordinaries in whose territory the Defendant has residence…Do you not understand that the actions covered are described as "unspeakable crimes"? These are actions that the Church holds in contempt, not actions to be pardoned lightly. Do you not understand that the procedures are for a "TRIAL"? A trial is to determine guilt or innocence, not to cover something up.
You would also find the following:
[I]t is enjoined upon [the bishop], by an obligation gravely binding in conscience, to ensure that causes of this sort henceforth be introduced, treated and concluded as quickly as possible before their own tribunal.These trials are to be concluded "as quickly as possible." Again, not the action of a cover up. In no. 7 you would find an official with the title of "Promoter of Justice." In other words, there is a PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
It imposes an oath of secrecy on the child victim, the priest dealing with the allegation and any witnesses.
Breaking that oath means excommunication from the Catholic Church...
You keep returning to this but you always ignore no. 13:
The oath to maintain confidentiality must always be taken in these causes, also by the accusers or complainants and the witnesses. These persons, however, are subject to no censure, unless they were expressly warned of this in the proceedings of accusation, deposition or questioning.Thus normally they would be exempt from all penalties. As I have repeatedly pointed out, all this only applies to their testimony. They are still free to report the crime to the police. Again, no cover up.
Further reading would reveal the following:
29. When, as a result of denunciations, notice of the crime of solicitation is had, a special investigation is to be carried out, “so that it may be determined whether the accusation has any basis and what that may be”…So again, the whole process is one to determine the truth of the accusation, not to cover it up.
In no. 42 we find the following:
[I]f certain or at least probable arguments exist for bringing the accusation to trial, he should order the Defendant to be cited and formally charged.A trial, not a cover up.
Further reading would reveal TITLE THREE: PENALTIES. Yes, penalties. The whole purpose of the procedure is to determine guilt and apply penalties if the defendant is found guilty. Thus you would find the following:
61. “One who has committed the crime of solicitation... is to be suspended from the celebration of Mass and from the hearing of sacramental confessions and even, in view of the gravity of the crime, declared incapable from hearing them. He is to be deprived of all benefices, dignities, active and passive voice, and is to be declared incapable for all these, and in more grievous cases he is even to be subjected to reduction to the lay state [degradatio]”. Thus states Canon 2368, §1 of the Code [of Canon Law]."Reduction from to the lay state" is what in the popular press is called "defrocked" or "removed from the priesthood." These are the harshest penalties that the Church can impose. Again, the purpose of the Instruction is to determine guilt and apply penalties, not to cover up.
All this being said, if you want to say that there were bishops who did cover up these crimes I would agree with you. But in doing so it was not that they were following some sort of Vatican led conspiracy contained in Crimen sollicitationis but because they were not following it by subjecting the accused priest to trails and punishing the guilty. If Crimen sollicitationis had actually been followed this rot would have been cleaned out years ago.
"Does your Church have any guidelines or policies in place on this subject?"
Yes. Here is one OPC's brief outline of stated guidelines and policies and the Index from an Abuse Policy along with the policy for reporting abuse taken from the Abuse Policy.
Rome has nothing in place along the lines of the following, to its discredit.
______________________________________________
From Chapter 1 General Prevention Policies
(Remember that if the policy is impractical or will not be used,the church’s liability is increased unless/until the policy is modified or dropped.)
Two-person rule-during a session of any child or youth program, at least two volunteers or staff must be present with minors.
Notify a parent before a planned one-to-one contact with a minor and ask his/her permission to meet alone.
Require two volunteers/staff to transport children or youth in a church vehicle and/or in a volunteer/staff vehicle.
Establish hall monitors to observe volunteer/staff activities in a child or youth program and to monitor the facility for any suspicious behavior.
Require bus drivers or transporters to log every pick-up and drop-off of minors.
Require a parent to sign a waiver that his/her child may be transported alone.
In the church facility, require a volunteer/staff person to observe one-to-one contacts between a volunteer/staff person and a minor. Outside of the church facility, require that one-to-one contacts occur in a public place or require a volunteer/staff person to observe one-to-one contacts.
From Chapter 2 Screening Procedures for Volunteers and Staff
The impetus for congregations to develop screening policies comes from a variety of sources. First, having a screening policy in place tells church members that the church is serious about preventing abuse and reducing volunteer/staff liability to claims of abuse.
In addition, screening policies may help reduce the incidence of child abuse within church programs and may reduce a congregation’s legal liability. Insurance underwriters and attorneys may recommend to churches that they have a written screening policy.
Furthermore, various laws may encourage or require screening policies. (See, for example, the “National Child Protection Act of 1993,” Appendix A.) The development of a screening policy can have a twofold effect on child abuse prevention. First, church officials who are responsible for assigning volunteers/staff to serve in church programs have more data to help them make an adequate match between a person’s interests and skills and the available positions. The data may enable church officials to screen an individual out of a program or position in which the individual may pose a risk to children. Second, in some cases, the fact that a screening policy exists will deter an individual who poses a threat to children and does not want to risk exposure.
Table of Contents
Page(s) Topic 3-4 Kinds of Abuse; Guidelines on how to recognize various types of abuse
5-6 Reporting Abuse, Responding to Allegations; Step-wise instructions on how to report suspected cases of abuse,and what to do when allegations are brought forward
7 General Worker Guidelines; Basic rules and standards that workers should adhere to in ministering to children
8-9 Nursery Worker Guidelines; Recommendations for those working in our Nursery
10 Day/Overnight Trips; Rules and guidelines for extended off-site events
11 Use of the Church Van; Who can operate and how to care for the church van
12 Addressing Threatening; How to deal with violent Behavior or aggressive children
13-18 Forms, Reporting Documents; Standard forms for recording relevant information, including attendance, trip details and permissions, adverse incident details, and relevant medical data
19-28 Applications and Reference Forms; Materials to be filled out by potential workers and their referees
29-30 Interview Questions; What may be asked of candidates during the interview process
KINDS OF ABUSE
There are four kinds of child abuse:
1. Child neglect is defined as omission of the child’s basic needs (physical, environmental, emotional, nutritional) for his or her physical and emotional well-being. It is this area to which the church is most open to liability if proper supervision is not provided and safety rules are not set and enforced.
2. Emotional abuse involves verbal or non-verbal violence toward a child that gives the child the message that he or she is “not good.” Teasing, name-calling, or any other form of demeaning a child falls into this category.
3. Physical abuse involves physical aggression toward a child where the leader is not in control, is under stress, or has little control over impulses. It can also be intentional infliction of harm on a child. Often it is the transference of adult anger into physical aggression against a child. This could include not only hitting a child, but also grabbing, pulling or pushing a child.
4. Sexual abuse or sexual molestation involves any sexual act between a child and an adult or an older child and a younger child. Sexual acts can involve touch, such as fondling or sexual penetration, or non-touch, such as exposing a child to pornography or sexual acts. Children are powerless and not in a position to responsibly consent to these sexual interactions.
SIGNS OF ABUSE
1. General: Children who are experiencing stress may exhibit behavioral signs of that stress. When signs of stress are present, it can be assumed that the child is in need of help to resolve the source of stress. Children who are in abusive situations are under stress, and therefore will probably exhibit signs of stress. Some symptoms of general childhood stress are: crying for no apparent reason, immature clinging, aggressive behavior, withdrawal, inability to concentrate, or depression.
These signs of general childhood stress may be caused by any number of factors, such as divorce, death, school problems, or peer/family relations. In helping the child address the cause of stress, it is often helpful to make a statement to the child that ‘reflects’ what you see the child is going through as evidenced by his behavior. For example, “Is something bothering you, you seem so sad today?” Such a question provides an opportunity for the child to talk about his problem without depending on the adult to prejudge the cause of the stress.
2. Specific: No single indicator is proof that a child is being abused. It is, however, a reason to look more closely at the child’s behavior and to consider the possibility of abuse.
3. Child Neglect and Emotional Abuse: It is extremely difficult for a lay person to detect emotional abuse or neglect with any degree of certainty. The physical signs are subtle, such as lagging behind in physical development or habit disorders. The neglected child may show up inappropriately dressed, lacking in personal hygiene, or being consistently hungry. Behaviorally, the emotionally abused and neglected child may display signs of childhood stress. There may, however, be other explanations, so leaders should exercise caution in forming conclusions.
4. Physical abuse: Active children will experience a normal amount of physical injury, generally minor in nature. There are, however, distinct differences between normal “wear and tear” on children and bodily signs of physical child abuse. These indicators are unusual bruises, burns, breaks, lacerations, and abrasions. A child who is physically abused is likely to display manifestations of general childhood stress even after the physical scars have healed.
5. Sexual Abuse: In some cases there may be physical signs of sexual abuse of a child. Behavioral signs are likely to appear over a long time and are more noticeable. Some examples of behavioral signs are: age-inappropriate understanding of sex, reluctance to be left alone with a particular person, or fear of touch.
Plan for Responding to Allegations Against a Worker
If an allegation of child abuse occurs:
1. Report immediately to the Mandatory Reporter.
2. Mandatory Reporter contacts Chairman of the Elder/Deacon Board immediately to conduct preliminary steps as listed below. Mandatory Reporter and/or Elder/Deacon: • Make sure the victim is safe. • Contact the parents of the victim. • Confront the accused only after the safety of the child or youth is secured. Make sure accused does not have any more contact with the victim. Ask accused to leave the premises.
3. Document all efforts to handle the incident (e.g., written log of only the facts). Remember that the log could be subpoenaed for evidence.
4. Mandatory Reporter and/or Elder/Deacon chairman report the incident immediately to the church insurance company and representative attorney. Do not try to handle this without professional outside assistance. Remember confidentiality of both victim and accused needs to be protected.
5. Contact the proper civil authorities (DCF or police, if necessary) following the guidance of the insurance company and attorney. Do not attempt an in-depth investigation. This should be left to professionals who are familiar with these cases.
(*Note: Steps 1-5 are not necessarily done in above order, but all do need to be done in an immediate manner.)
6. Mandatory Reporter should use a prepared public statement for the press and to convey news to the congregation. Statement could be given by someone other than the Pastor. (The church attorney could be used as a spokesperson). The Mandatory Reporter should be as open and honest with the congregation as possible without violating the privacy and confidentiality of all involved.
Here is a sample statement:
“On (date), an allegation of child abuse was reported to me by one of our educational volunteers. This allegation was reported to the (police/DCF) on (date). At this time, there is an ongoing investigation by the (police/DCF). Be assured that our hearts and prayers go out to all involved in this situation.”
7. Do not prejudge the situation, but take the allegations seriously.
• Reach out with support to the victim and the victim’s family. Showing care and support can go a long way in starting the healing process. Extend whatever pastoral resources are needed. Do not ask leading questions of the victim.
• Treat the accused with dignity and respect. An accusation has been made. He/she is innocent until proven guilty.
• In most cases, there is an alternative plausible explanation. The accused in most cases is the one most likely to think of it. Sometimes in the investigation, the authorities are so interested in finding guilt that they fail to see an alternative plausible explanation for the events. The church needs to be as supportive as it can be of all involved. _________________________________________________
That is the type of "guidelines and policies" in place in Orthodox Presbyterian Churches and most Protestant churches. If it looks foreign to Roman Catholics, it is because the RCC has nothing of the kind in place to protect its children from pederast priests.
On the contrary, Rome prefers to protect the priests at the expense of the children.
It doesn't look foreign at all. This is standard procedure, plus a criminal background check on everybody. Your statement that "Rome" has nothing in place along the lines of the following is simply not true.
yadayadayada. The reality is your church destroys its victims as children then muzzles them for decades.
Talk to a young man who was molested and why he kept quiet after being raped by a priest when he was eight years old.
Your church is riddled with pedophiles who are given free license to take what they want when they want it, destroying the next generation in the process, all because they believe themselves to be “another Christ.”
Criminal and demonic.
Your church has Crimen Sollicitationis in place.
And we know what that says. It says everyone is sworn to the papal oath of secrecy under threat of excommunication and that all accusations are handled by the church and not the police authorities.
RC apologists can’t just make this stuff up, try as they might.
If it looks foreign, it's because there are no pictures to color in.
Coloring Outside the Lines [The New York Archdiocese has an unusual new weapon against child abuse]
Catholic coloring book warns US kids of pedophile priests
yadayadayada = don’t confuse me with the facts
LOLOL. Oops. I forgot the coloring books. Wonder what the kinds have to do to get the crayons?
Why not get rid of Crimen Sollicitationis and try laying down some simple guidelines to follow regarding the rampant sexual abuse of pederast priests in the RCC?
It would be a start.
Exactly. Rome is the prime example of a feminized religion. "Queen of Heaven." "Co-Redemptrix." "Mother of us all." "The New Eve."
It's truly unGodly.
Repetition of a falsehood does not make it true. There is NO "rampant sexual abuse of pederast priests in the RCC."
You might want to check out the following typical statement from the Archdiocese of New York:
Whenever a complaint is received by an Archdiocesan official that a cleric has sexually abused a minor, the complainant, or, if the complainant is a child, the complainant's parents or guardians, will be strongly urged to report the allegation immediately and directly to the appropriate District Attorney's Office.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.