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UN panel confronts Vatican on child sex abuse by clergy UN panel confronts Vatican on child sex abuse by clergy
(about 2 hours later)
The Vatican is being confronted publicly for the first time over the sexual abuse of children by clergy, at a UN hearing in Geneva.The Vatican is being confronted publicly for the first time over the sexual abuse of children by clergy, at a UN hearing in Geneva.
Officials faced a barrage of hard questions such as why would they not release full data and what were they doing to prevent future abuse. Officials faced a barrage of hard questions covering why they would not release data and what they were doing to prevent future abuse.
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi said such crimes could "never be justified" and every child should be "inviolable".Archbishop Silvano Tomasi said such crimes could "never be justified" and every child should be "inviolable".
A fellow official said "things need to be done differently".A fellow official said "things need to be done differently".
The Vatican earlier refused a request from the UN's Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for data on abuse, and was accused of responding inadequately to abuse allegations. Last month, the Vatican refused a request from the UN's Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for data on abuse, on the grounds that it only released such information if requested to do so by another country as part of legal proceedings.
The Vatican came to Geneva expecting a rough ride and so far it is getting one, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports.The Vatican came to Geneva expecting a rough ride and so far it is getting one, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports.
Victims say they hope the hearing, which is being broadcast live, will prompt the Church to end its "secrecy".Victims say they hope the hearing, which is being broadcast live, will prompt the Church to end its "secrecy".
Pope Francis announced last month that a Vatican commission would be set up to fight sexual abuse of children in the Church. Pope Francis announced last month that a Vatican committee would be set up to fight sexual abuse of children in the Church.
The Holy See is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a legally binding instrument which commits it to protecting and nurturing the most vulnerable in society.The Holy See is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a legally binding instrument which commits it to protecting and nurturing the most vulnerable in society.
It ratified the convention in 1990 but after an implementation report in 1994 it did not submit any progress reports until 2012, following revelations of child sex abuse in Europe and beyond.It ratified the convention in 1990 but after an implementation report in 1994 it did not submit any progress reports until 2012, following revelations of child sex abuse in Europe and beyond.
In a homily on Thursday, Pope Francis said abuse scandals were "the shame of the Church".
"Here are so many scandals that I do not want to name them individually but everyone knows about them."
'No cover-ups''No cover-ups'
Members of the CRC asked about the Church's practice of moving priests suspected of abuse and allegations that it had concealed such abuse. At the Geneva hearing, CRC member Sara Oviedo said: "The Holy See has not established any mechanism to investigate those accused of perpetrating sexual abuse, nor to prosecute them."
Why, it was asked, did the Vatican continue to describe such abuse as an offence against morals rather than a crime against children? Another question from the panel asked why the Vatican continued to describe abuse as an offence against morals rather than a crime against children.
"Does the Holy See believe that paedophilia is something that can be successfully overcome?" was one question. "Does the Holy See believe that paedophilia is something that can be successfully overcome?" was another question.
How, the Vatican was asked, did it go about training priests for work with children? What oversight was in place for Catholic institutions such as schools? "To prevent abuse of minors is a real, immediate concern," Archbishop Tomasi said.
"The best way to prevent new offences is to reveal old ones," one of the questioners said. On prosecution of offenders, he said priests were "not functionaries of the Vatican but citizens of their countries and fall under the jurisdiction of their own countries".
Archbishop Tomasi, who is the Vatican's envoy to the UN, said that it was important to note that priests were "not functionaries of the Vatican but citizens of their countries and fall under the jurisdiction of their own countries". When asked if the Vatican would hand over Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, a Polish papal envoy recalled from the Dominican Republic in September amid claims of sexual abuse there, Archbishop Tomasi said he was being investigated by the Vatican's own prosecutors.
Bishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican's former chief prosecutor of clerical sexual abuse, insisted it was "not the policy of the Holy See to encourage cover-ups". A member of the CRC asked about the Church's practice of moving priests suspected of abuse.
But he added: "The Holy See gets it that there are things that need to be done differently." "The question of what I would call offender mobility is of great concern," said Bishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican's former chief prosecutor of clerical sexual abuse. "It is a no-go simply to move people from one diocese to another... That is policy that has to be followed."
Archbishop Tomasi said no profession was immune from producing sex offenders but the fact that there were cases in the Church was very damning: "Abusers are found among members of the world's most respected professions, most regrettably including members of the clergy and other church personnel. He insisted it was "not the policy of the Holy See to encourage cover-ups" but added: "The Holy See gets it that there are things that need to be done differently."
"This fact is particularly serious since these persons are in positions of great trust and they are called to levels of service that are to promote and protect all elements of the human person, including physical, emotional and spiritual health."
'We request justice''We request justice'
While Thursday's questions were numerous and far-ranging, they were asked in blocs, with the Vatican delegation given time to retire to prepare its answers.While Thursday's questions were numerous and far-ranging, they were asked in blocs, with the Vatican delegation given time to retire to prepare its answers.
Observers vented frustration at the lack of specific answers.Observers vented frustration at the lack of specific answers.
"Holy See: 'We get it' in UN review on child sexual abuse Catholic Church," wrote the children's rights watchdog CRIN in a tweet. "Do you? Why then don't you make statistics public?""Holy See: 'We get it' in UN review on child sexual abuse Catholic Church," wrote the children's rights watchdog CRIN in a tweet. "Do you? Why then don't you make statistics public?"
Barbara Blaine, president of a group representing US victims of abuse by priests, told BBC News that the hearing had brought "hope to victims across the globe".Barbara Blaine, president of a group representing US victims of abuse by priests, told BBC News that the hearing had brought "hope to victims across the globe".
But it would also stand, she said, as a "record of how the Church officials refused to answer the questions, how they claim to be open and transparent, and yet they don't live up to that ideal".But it would also stand, she said, as a "record of how the Church officials refused to answer the questions, how they claim to be open and transparent, and yet they don't live up to that ideal".
The hearing in Geneva was welcomed by Teodoro Pulvirenti, an Italian who was abused by a priest as a teenager in Sicily.The hearing in Geneva was welcomed by Teodoro Pulvirenti, an Italian who was abused by a priest as a teenager in Sicily.
Mr Pulvirenti, who now lives in the US, told the Associated Press it was time for the Vatican to end its "secrecy" over a global sex abuse scandal. "I'm not coming out against the Vatican and I don't want the Church to think the victims are against the Church, against the Vatican," Mr Pulvirenti told the Associated Press. "We are standing up for our own survival, but we request justice."
"I'm not coming out against the Vatican and I don't want the Church to think the victims are against the Church, against the Vatican," Mr Pulvirenti said. "We are standing up for our own survival, but we request justice."