UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 26, 2014
Statement by Mary Caplan of New York City, SNAP Leader, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 917 439 4187, mcaplan682@aol.com )
Yesterday, the Vatican ousts a controversial bishop. Today, the Vatican claims it’s powerless over bishops and that bishops are not “representatives or delegates” of the pope.
In a response to a United Nations child rights committee, top Catholic officials are doubling-down on the ludicrous claim that “bishops do not act as representatives or delegates” of the pope.
The Vatican claims that its ancient, rigid, global and crystal clear hierarchy isn’t a hierarchy at all but some kind of loosely-knit communal club with no real leader or power.
This self-serving claim, crucial to the Vatican as a legal defense tool in litigation, is made within hours of the Pope ousting an eccentric bishop in Paraguay and within months of the Pope ousting an extravagant bishop in Germany. So the Catholic hierarchy wants it both ways – sometimes, apparently, bishops answer to the Vatican and sometimes not, whichever notion is most advantageous to church officials at that particular moment.
If the Vatican insists it has no role in clergy sexual violence or cover ups, then they should stop claiming they have abuse policies and admit they have only abuse suggestions.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.