The Catholic Church's Suicidal Strategy, Amara Makhoul, France 24, April 16, 2010

The Catholic Church's "Suicidal Strategy"

By Amara Makhoul
France 24
April 16, 2010

http://www.france24.com/en/20100416-catholic-church-suicidal-strategy-paedophila-golias

A French Catholic website has published a letter by a cardinal congratulating a bishop for having protected a known paedophile priest. The website’s chief editor, Christian Terras, explains why the Vatican's strategy in this affair is "suicidal".

The Catholic Church has found itself at the centre of a new controversy in France after the publication of a letter by Golias, a dissident Catholic website. In the letter, dating from 2001, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, the man in charge of clergy around the world, congratulates French Bishop Pierre Pican for covering a paedophile priest. Later that year, Pican was sentenced to three months in jail for failing to denounce Abbot Rene Bissey, a convicted paedophile who is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence. We spoke to the website’s chief editor, Christian Terras.

F24: How do we explain this letter of congratulations?

Christian Terras: This letter just goes to show how the Catholic Church prefers to handle serious affairs internally, without resorting to the civilian justice system. It sheds light on how the Church sees paedophilia: as a problem that can be solved internally. You can also see how the relationship between the various actors is cast as sacred, the priest being portrayed as the son of the bishop.

F24: This letter was written after Pope John Paul II had asked bishops and priests to denounce crimes of paedophilia. Did the cardinal then disobey orders?

C. T.: In 2001, when this document was written, Benedict XVI, then Cardinal and second to John Paul II, published a letter "De gravioribus delicti", which listed the most serious crimes. But there is never any mention of relying on civil justice. The document certainly hinted at an awareness of the problem of paedophilia. But the church continued to treat the issue internally. In Ireland, for example, the papal nuncio had even been instructed not to cooperate with local authorities.

F24: Why is the Vatican still adopting a strategy that is damaging its image?

C. T.: Over the past four months, the Vatican has been employing a suicidal strategy. But there were alternatives to help deal with the problem. First, it should have recognised the shared responsibility of both John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, in the paedophilia scandals. This would have strengthened the church’s credibility.

The Vatican could also have invited victims' associations to a solemn assembly. A commitment from the Pope to bring to justice those guilty of paedophilia and remove them from ecclesiastical office would have bee a key step. But the institution and the Pope still believe they are infallible and cannot bring themselves to admit their mistakes.