I think we’re arguing on very different wavelengths here.
If a crime WAS committed, it’s definitely the job of the police to deal with it,
But we need to keep in mind that there have been victims of false accusations as well.
I simply have to disagree with you.
The church should direct any complaints to the authorities. If it is a false claim, the police will ferret that out pretty quickly—if the complainant even goes to the police.
I think there is an assumption among the devout that this is some conspiracy against THEM and their faith. It is not. There are a lot of people on FR that WANT to believe that this is false and that these priests are no worse than any other “population.”
That kind of thinking is delusional.
In my opinion, the best solution is to come out and say that the church will no longer entertain claims without a valid police report. They should also say that they will cooperate fully with the police. They should not pay claims that are outside the statute of limitations as those people have had plenty of time to come forward.
Direct statements that acknowledge the sin, and take steps to mitigate future damage—at the same time declaring an end to the “settlements” that have not come as the result of a conviction would go a long way to regaining public trust.
The pussy-footing around that the church is doing is simply not effective and not helping their message at all.