Oath

When in the Middle Ages and earlier a priest was found guilty of abusing a child, he faced to be beheaded or burned alive. At that time the civil and clerical judges were the same. Priests and lay people were supposed to be treated with the same rules. One can read more details in a study of the Australian lawyer Kieran Tapsel.

The difference came into being with the birth of anti-clericalism. Priests were beheaded without trial or after a fake investigation. The result: Rome tried to protect its personnel by requiring an oath of secrecy. One pope after the other extended the coverage of the oath. All bishops at Vatican II and earlier have practiced the obligation and evaded civil rights of the abused. Who is guilty? Pacelli, Woitilla, Ratzinger, Vigano or Bergoglio by having called God as his witness that he would follow the instructions of the Holy Mother to the best of his knowledge? No, not they but the Holy Mother the Church herself is guilty. She should bow her head in tears and confess that she in self-defense made her bishops sons to civil criminals.  She should oblige herself to transparency and within weeks start opening relevant files one after the other.

 

Ed Schreurs coach

Vision of faithful people

Grensheuvel 2, 5685 AG Best NL

T.+31 499 376480

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