This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8588294.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Vatican attacks media over abuse | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Vatican has attacked the media over charges that the Pope failed to act against a US priest accused of abusing up to 200 deaf boys two decades ago. | |
| A Vatican newspaper editorial said the claims were an "ignoble" attack on the Pope and that there was no "cover-up". | A Vatican newspaper editorial said the claims were an "ignoble" attack on the Pope and that there was no "cover-up". |
| Archbishops had complained about Fr Lawrence Murphy in 1996 to a Vatican office led by the future pope, but apparently received no response. | |
| One victim told the BBC the Pope had known of a cover-up "for many years". | One victim told the BBC the Pope had known of a cover-up "for many years". |
| Arthur Budzinski, now 61, said Pope Benedict XVI should confess about what he knew. | |
| He said through an interpreter: "It goes all the way up to him - he was in charge of these types of cases." | He said through an interpreter: "It goes all the way up to him - he was in charge of these types of cases." |
| ANALYSIS David Willey, BBC Vatican correspondent | ANALYSIS David Willey, BBC Vatican correspondent |
| Hardly a day goes by without new allegations of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests somewhere in the world being reported in the media. | Hardly a day goes by without new allegations of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests somewhere in the world being reported in the media. |
| The Pope's spokesman defended Benedict, saying the Vatican department which the future pontiff was in charge of had not been informed of these latest allegations until 1996 - 20 years after the priest's victims first informed the police. | The Pope's spokesman defended Benedict, saying the Vatican department which the future pontiff was in charge of had not been informed of these latest allegations until 1996 - 20 years after the priest's victims first informed the police. |
| But the Vatican's rather lame excuse for lack of any action is that canon law, as Church law is called, "does not envision automatic penalties". | But the Vatican's rather lame excuse for lack of any action is that canon law, as Church law is called, "does not envision automatic penalties". |
| The Catholic Church teaches that paedophilia is a grave sin, but the evidence is that accused priests were usually moved to another parish rather than punished. | The Catholic Church teaches that paedophilia is a grave sin, but the evidence is that accused priests were usually moved to another parish rather than punished. |
| While the Pope is now promoting a policy of zero tolerance to clerical abuse, the suspicion remains that for many years he failed to react to the damning evidence which arrived on his desk. Pressure grows on Pope | While the Pope is now promoting a policy of zero tolerance to clerical abuse, the suspicion remains that for many years he failed to react to the damning evidence which arrived on his desk. Pressure grows on Pope |
| The Catholic Church has been plagued in recent months by abuse cover-up claims in Europe, echoing paedophilia scandals that rocked the institution in America eight years ago. | The Catholic Church has been plagued in recent months by abuse cover-up claims in Europe, echoing paedophilia scandals that rocked the institution in America eight years ago. |
| Fr Murphy was a popular priest who is suspected of abusing some 200 boys at St John's School for the Deaf in St Francis, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 1974. | Fr Murphy was a popular priest who is suspected of abusing some 200 boys at St John's School for the Deaf in St Francis, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 1974. |
| According to Church documents, an archbishop wrote in 1996 to a Vatican morals watchdog led by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope, to complain about Fr Murphy. | |
| A canonical trial was authorised by the future pope's deputy, but was later halted, despite objections from a second archbishop. | A canonical trial was authorised by the future pope's deputy, but was later halted, despite objections from a second archbishop. |
| Fr Murphy had written to Cardinal Ratzinger saying he was ill and wanted to live out his life in the "dignity of my priesthood". | Fr Murphy had written to Cardinal Ratzinger saying he was ill and wanted to live out his life in the "dignity of my priesthood". |
| The Pope's official spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said the Murphy case had only reached the Vatican in 1996 - two decades after the Milwaukee diocese in Wisconsin first learned of the allegations, and two years before the priest died. | The Pope's official spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said the Murphy case had only reached the Vatican in 1996 - two decades after the Milwaukee diocese in Wisconsin first learned of the allegations, and two years before the priest died. |
| The diocese had been asked to take action by "restricting Father Murphy's public ministry and requiring that Father Murphy accept full responsibility for the gravity of his acts", the Rev Lombardi said. | The diocese had been asked to take action by "restricting Father Murphy's public ministry and requiring that Father Murphy accept full responsibility for the gravity of his acts", the Rev Lombardi said. |
| "Father Murphy died approximately four months later, without further incident," said Fr Lombardi's statement," the statement said. | |
| The papal spokesman also noted that police at the time investigated the allegations, but did not bring charges. | The papal spokesman also noted that police at the time investigated the allegations, but did not bring charges. |
| A strongly worded Vatican newspaper editorial said there was "no cover-up" over the case, which was reported in Thursday's edition of the New York Times. | A strongly worded Vatican newspaper editorial said there was "no cover-up" over the case, which was reported in Thursday's edition of the New York Times. |
| L'Osservatore Romano labelled the allegations "clearly an ignoble attempt to strike at Pope Benedict and his closest aides at any cost". | L'Osservatore Romano labelled the allegations "clearly an ignoble attempt to strike at Pope Benedict and his closest aides at any cost". |
| Meanwhile, one of the Pope's top aides, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, told reporters there was "a conspiracy" against the Church, without specifying who was responsible. | Meanwhile, one of the Pope's top aides, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, told reporters there was "a conspiracy" against the Church, without specifying who was responsible. |
| The Pope was also supported in the UK by the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, who said the then Cardinal Ratzinger had not been an "idle observer" in the case. | The Pope was also supported in the UK by the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, who said the then Cardinal Ratzinger had not been an "idle observer" in the case. |
| Writing in the Times, the Archbishop also said the Pope had introduced changes into Church law to protect children. | Writing in the Times, the Archbishop also said the Pope had introduced changes into Church law to protect children. |
| The BBC's Robert Pigott in Milwaukee says the US case is particularly shocking, not only because the priest abused boys but because he was allowed to go on to another diocese where he had access to children all over again. | The BBC's Robert Pigott in Milwaukee says the US case is particularly shocking, not only because the priest abused boys but because he was allowed to go on to another diocese where he had access to children all over again. |
| Our correspondent says that although there is no direct evidence against the then Cardinal Ratzinger, this is an uncomfortable confluence of events for the Vatican. This is a case of concealment, he says, and that is where the Pope will have a case to answer. | Our correspondent says that although there is no direct evidence against the then Cardinal Ratzinger, this is an uncomfortable confluence of events for the Vatican. This is a case of concealment, he says, and that is where the Pope will have a case to answer. |
| Ireland letter | Ireland letter |
| Fr Murphy - who admitted abusing boys before he died in 1998 - is said to have targeted victims in their dormitory beds, on school trips and even at confession. | Fr Murphy - who admitted abusing boys before he died in 1998 - is said to have targeted victims in their dormitory beds, on school trips and even at confession. |
| Fr Lawrence Murphy died in 1998 with no official blemish on his record | Fr Lawrence Murphy died in 1998 with no official blemish on his record |
| Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of five men alleging the Archdiocese of Milwaukee did not take sufficient action against the priest. | Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of five men alleging the Archdiocese of Milwaukee did not take sufficient action against the priest. |
| Meanwhile, members of a group of clerical abuse victims who were holding a news conference outside the Vatican to denounce Pope Benedict's handling of the case were briefly detained by Italian police for not having a permit. | Meanwhile, members of a group of clerical abuse victims who were holding a news conference outside the Vatican to denounce Pope Benedict's handling of the case were briefly detained by Italian police for not having a permit. |
| Last week the Pope issued an unprecedented letter to Ireland addressing the 16 years of clerical cover-up scandals. | Last week the Pope issued an unprecedented letter to Ireland addressing the 16 years of clerical cover-up scandals. |
| He has yet to comment on his handling of a child sex abuse case involving a German priest, which developed while Benedict was overseeing the Munich archdiocese. | He has yet to comment on his handling of a child sex abuse case involving a German priest, which developed while Benedict was overseeing the Munich archdiocese. |
| The Rev Peter Hullermann had been accused of abusing boys when the now Pope approved his 1980 transfer to Munich to receive psychological treatment for paedophilia. | The Rev Peter Hullermann had been accused of abusing boys when the now Pope approved his 1980 transfer to Munich to receive psychological treatment for paedophilia. |
| The disgraced priest was convicted in 1986 of abusing a youth, but stayed within the Church for another two decades. | The disgraced priest was convicted in 1986 of abusing a youth, but stayed within the Church for another two decades. |