Rome, Italy
On June 10th, the Vatican announced the initiation of a “new accountability process” for their organization in regards to their internal reporting and handling of bishops accused of “abuse of office” when it comes to how they handle child abusers. The process was drafted by the popes Commission for the Protection of Minors which is led by Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley. Catholic leaders and laity are calling this system a potential “breakthrough moment on an issue that has plagued the church globally”.
Among the key points of the accountability process is the duty to report “allegations of the abuse of office by a bishop connected to the abuse of minors” to the Vatican. Keep in mind, the Catholic Church has a long established history of a strict reporting hierarchy. This policy doesn’t clarify who has the duty or ability to make these reports nor does it identify how this is to be done. As one article puts it, the bishops have had “de facto immunity”, yet this new process doesn’t specifically identify how to make that immunity end.
In addition, the process calls for the appointment of power to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to judge the bishops who are accused of abusing their office. According to the Vatican, currently that judgment sits only with the pope.
The fifth “key point” of the new process outline sets a five-year period “for further development of these proposals”. In other words, the introduction of this new process is a smokescreen of accountability, while the bishops may continue business as usual. The smokescreen will be developed over the next five years.
At no point is there any mention of involving the local police authorities, nor sending the bishops and priests who abuse children through the existing criminal judicial system. This process is nothing more than an outline for the “fox to watch the hen house” and is evidence that they protect pedophiles, admittance that their bishops have had “de facto immunity” and evidence that the Vatican as well as the bishops are not operating within the judicial systems already in place.
These wicked criminals hover behind their smokescreens and roam the world abusing children while claiming to represent God. They know NOTHING about God and their actions should confirm they do NOT represent God. It is time to discern who the wicked are. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
“…discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God, and him that serves Him not. For behold the Day is coming that shall burn as a furnace, and all the proud/arrogant ones, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble and the Day that is coming shall burn them up…”
Malachi 3:18-4:1