pkd
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2009
- Messages
- 1,432
- Reaction score
- 0
Revelation of new cases of child molestation in the US state of Wisconsin has again sent tremors across the Roman Catholic Church, as the Pope is accused of covering up the sex abuse.
Catholic clergyman Lawrence Murphy allegedly molested up to 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin between the 1950's and the 1970's. Documents, including church correspondents acquired by The New York Times, have revealed, AFP reported.
To safeguard the Catholic Church from the scandal, Pope Benedict XVI, who in 1996 was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and part of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, did not allow the disclosure of the sexual abuse cases.
The future Pope, who had been informed about the child molestations by two letters written to him by the Wisconsin archbishop, arranged a secret canonical trial for Murphy but opted to abandon it following the molester priest's request.
"I simply want to live out the time that I have left in the dignity of my priesthood," Murphy wrote to the future pope, according to files. "I ask your kind assistance in this matter."
Murphy died two years later, still a priest.
The documents have emerged as the Pope is facing accusations that despite his capacity as the German archbishop and the Vatican's chief doctrinal enforcer, he often failed to discipline priests involved in sexual abuse.
Pope 'failed to act' on US sex abuse case
Catholic clergyman Lawrence Murphy allegedly molested up to 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin between the 1950's and the 1970's. Documents, including church correspondents acquired by The New York Times, have revealed, AFP reported.
To safeguard the Catholic Church from the scandal, Pope Benedict XVI, who in 1996 was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and part of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, did not allow the disclosure of the sexual abuse cases.
The future Pope, who had been informed about the child molestations by two letters written to him by the Wisconsin archbishop, arranged a secret canonical trial for Murphy but opted to abandon it following the molester priest's request.
"I simply want to live out the time that I have left in the dignity of my priesthood," Murphy wrote to the future pope, according to files. "I ask your kind assistance in this matter."
Murphy died two years later, still a priest.
The documents have emerged as the Pope is facing accusations that despite his capacity as the German archbishop and the Vatican's chief doctrinal enforcer, he often failed to discipline priests involved in sexual abuse.
Pope 'failed to act' on US sex abuse case
