GENEVA
PRI
[with audio]
A United Nations panel had harsh words for the Vatican overs its handling of child sex abuse cases.
Kirsten Sandberg, chairwoman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, said the main finding of the report was that the Holy See adopted policies and practices that led to continued abuse by, and no punishment for, the perpetrators.
“The Holy See has consistently placed the preservation of the reputation of the Church and the protection of the perpetrators above children’s best interests,” she said.
The panel asked the Vatican to remove all known or suspected child molesters from their posts and report them to civil authorities. It also demanded that the Vatican open its files on members of the clergy who had “concealed their crimes” so that they could be held accountable.
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