- Pope Benedict XVI faced claims last night he had 'obstructed
justice' after it emerged he issued an order ensuring the church's investigations
into child sex abuse claims be carried out in secret.
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- The order was made in a confidential letter, obtained
by The Observer, which was sent to every Catholic bishop in May 2001.
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- It asserted the church's right to hold its inquiries
behind closed doors and keep the evidence confidential for up to 10 years
after the victims reached adulthood. The letter was signed by Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected as John Paul II's successor last week.
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- Lawyers acting for abuse victims claim it was designed
to prevent the allegations from becoming public knowledge or being investigated
by the police. They accuse Ratzinger of committing a 'clear obstruction
of justice'.
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- The letter, 'concerning very grave sins', was sent from
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that
once presided over the Inquisition and was overseen by Ratzinger.
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- It spells out to bishops the church's position on a number
of matters ranging from celebrating the eucharist with a non-Catholic to
sexual abuse by a cleric 'with a minor below the age of 18 years'. Ratzinger's
letter states that the church can claim jurisdiction in cases where abuse
has been 'perpetrated with a minor by a cleric'.
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- The letter states that the church's jurisdiction 'begins
to run from the day when the minor has completed the 18th year of age'
and lasts for 10 years.
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- It orders that 'preliminary investigations' into any
claims of abuse should be sent to Ratzinger's office, which has the option
of referring them back to private tribunals in which the 'functions of
judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative can validly
be performed for these cases only by priests'.
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- 'Cases of this kind are subject to the pontifical secret,'
Ratzinger's letter concludes. Breaching the pontifical secret at any time
while the 10-year jurisdiction order is operating carries penalties, including
the threat of excommunication.
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- The letter is referred to in documents relating to a
lawsuit filed earlier this year against a church in Texas and Ratzinger
on behalf of two alleged abuse victims. By sending the letter, lawyers
acting for the alleged victims claim the cardinal conspired to obstruct
justice.
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- Daniel Shea, the lawyer for the two alleged victims who
discovered the letter, said: 'It speaks for itself. You have to ask: why
do you not start the clock ticking until the kid turns 18? It's an obstruction
of justice.'
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- Father John Beal, professor of canon law at the Catholic
University of America, gave an oral deposition under oath on 8 April last
year in which he admitted to Shea that the letter extended the church's
jurisdiction and control over sexual assault crimes.
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- The Ratzinger letter was co-signed by Archbishop Tarcisio
Bertone who gave an interview two years ago in which he hinted at the church's
opposition to allowing outside agencies to investigate abuse claims.
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- 'In my opinion, the demand that a bishop be obligated
to contact the police in order to denounce a priest who has admitted the
offence of paedophilia is unfounded,' Bertone said.
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- Shea criticised the order that abuse allegations should
be investigated only in secret tribunals. 'They are imposing procedures
and secrecy on these cases. If law enforcement agencies find out about
the case, they can deal with it. But you can't investigate a case if you
never find out about it. If you can manage to keep it secret for 18 years
plus 10 the priest will get away with it,' Shea added.
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- A spokeswoman in the Vatican press office declined to
comment when told about the contents of the letter. 'This is not a public
document, so we would not talk about it,' she said.
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- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2005
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- http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1469055,00.html
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