THE VATICAN has recommended to church authorities that where allegations of clerical child sex abuse are involved, the “civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed”.
It offered the advice in a Guide to Understanding Basic CDF (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations published on its www.vatican.va website yesterday.
It says the applicable canon law is the letter, Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela, of April 30th, 2001 sent by Pope Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to every Catholic bishop, as well as the 1983 Code of Canon Law.
The preliminary procedures section of the guide points out that “the local diocese investigates every allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric. If the allegation has a semblance of truth the case is referred to the CDF. The local bishop transmits all the necessary information to the CDF and expresses his opinion on the procedures to be followed and the measures to be adopted in the short and long term.”
During the preliminary stage and until the case is concluded, “the bishop may impose precautionary measures to safeguard the community, including the victims”. The local bishop “always retains power to protect children by restricting the activities of any priest in his diocese” and “this power can be exercised at the bishop’s discretion before, during and after any canonical proceeding”, the guide states.
