In their toughest and most public questioning to date about sexual abuse of children by the clergy, senior Vatican officials came under heavy criticism Thursday from a United Nations committee over their handling of such cases. Senior officials in the Roman Catholic Church are accused of actively trying to cover up cases of child sexual abuse. The Vatican has in many cases allowed priests who have been accused of child abuse to continue... serving with little or no sanction.
The Vatican, however, maintained its position that, while it is responsible for responding to abuses committed within the confines of the Vatican state, it is up to local law enforcers to punish abusive priests around the world.
"Priests are not functionaries of the Vatican," said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's envoy to the U.N. in Geneva. "Priests are citizens of their own states, and they fall under the jurisdiction of their own country."
The Vatican, however, maintained its position that, while it is responsible for responding to abuses committed within the confines of the Vatican state, it is up to local law enforcers to punish abusive priests around the world.
"Priests are not functionaries of the Vatican," said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's envoy to the U.N. in Geneva. "Priests are citizens of their own states, and they fall under the jurisdiction of their own country."
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