This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/01/world/europe/vatican-abuse-panel-marie-collins.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Citing Vatican ‘Resistance,’ Abuse Victim Quits Pope’s Panel | Citing Vatican ‘Resistance,’ Abuse Victim Quits Pope’s Panel |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| VATICAN CITY — Frustrated by what she described as Vatican stonewalling, an Irishwoman who was sexually abused by a Roman Catholic clergy member quit her post on Wednesday on a panel advising Pope Francis on how to protect minors from such abuse. | VATICAN CITY — Frustrated by what she described as Vatican stonewalling, an Irishwoman who was sexually abused by a Roman Catholic clergy member quit her post on Wednesday on a panel advising Pope Francis on how to protect minors from such abuse. |
| The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said the woman, Marie Collins, quit out of frustration over a lack of cooperation from the Curia, the Vatican’s administrative body. Her departure raised fresh questions about the Vatican’s insistence that it is working to ensure that no more children are abused by predator priests. | The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said the woman, Marie Collins, quit out of frustration over a lack of cooperation from the Curia, the Vatican’s administrative body. Her departure raised fresh questions about the Vatican’s insistence that it is working to ensure that no more children are abused by predator priests. |
| Ms. Collins, in a statement carried by the National Catholic Reporter, was damning in her criticism. She pointed to a “cultural resistance” that includes the refusal by some officials to follow the pope’s instructions to reply to all correspondence from abuse survivors. | Ms. Collins, in a statement carried by the National Catholic Reporter, was damning in her criticism. She pointed to a “cultural resistance” that includes the refusal by some officials to follow the pope’s instructions to reply to all correspondence from abuse survivors. |
| “I find it impossible to listen to public statements about the deep concern in the church for the care of those whose lives have been blighted by abuse,” Ms. Collins said in her statement, yet watch privately as the Vatican panel “refuses to even acknowledge their letters.” | “I find it impossible to listen to public statements about the deep concern in the church for the care of those whose lives have been blighted by abuse,” Ms. Collins said in her statement, yet watch privately as the Vatican panel “refuses to even acknowledge their letters.” |
| She called “the reluctance of some in the Vatican Curia to implement recommendations or cooperate” with the panel “unacceptable.” | She called “the reluctance of some in the Vatican Curia to implement recommendations or cooperate” with the panel “unacceptable.” |
| Francis set up the commission three years ago, saying its job was to propose “the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults,” so the church can ensure that such crimes are no longer repeated. | Francis set up the commission three years ago, saying its job was to propose “the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults,” so the church can ensure that such crimes are no longer repeated. |
| A systematic cover-up by bishops and other high officials in many dioceses around the world over decades compounded the crimes of pedophile priests who raped children and committed other sexual abuses. | A systematic cover-up by bishops and other high officials in many dioceses around the world over decades compounded the crimes of pedophile priests who raped children and committed other sexual abuses. |
| Ms. Collins said she wondered if the continuing reluctance to address the problem was “driven by internal politics, fear of change,” clerics’ belief that they know best “or a closed mind-set which sees abuse as an inconvenience.” | Ms. Collins said she wondered if the continuing reluctance to address the problem was “driven by internal politics, fear of change,” clerics’ belief that they know best “or a closed mind-set which sees abuse as an inconvenience.” |
| “It is devastating in 2017 to see that these men still can put other concerns before the safety of children and vulnerable adults,” she said. | “It is devastating in 2017 to see that these men still can put other concerns before the safety of children and vulnerable adults,” she said. |
| The commission’s statement said Francis “accepted Mrs. Collins’s resignation with deep appreciation for her work on behalf of the victims/survivors of clergy abuse.” | The commission’s statement said Francis “accepted Mrs. Collins’s resignation with deep appreciation for her work on behalf of the victims/survivors of clergy abuse.” |
| The panel’s president, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, said in a statement issued by the Vatican, “We will greatly miss her important contributions.” | The panel’s president, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston, said in a statement issued by the Vatican, “We will greatly miss her important contributions.” |
| Boston is one of the more prominent dioceses where church leaders tried to hide clergy abuse by shuttling pedophile priests from parish to parish. | Boston is one of the more prominent dioceses where church leaders tried to hide clergy abuse by shuttling pedophile priests from parish to parish. |
| Ms. Collins did not immediately respond to a phone request for comment. | Ms. Collins did not immediately respond to a phone request for comment. |
| She said the Vatican had failed to put in place a tribunal that could hold bishops accountable for negligence in handling sexual abuse within their dioceses, a commission recommendation that was approved by Francis in 2015. | She said the Vatican had failed to put in place a tribunal that could hold bishops accountable for negligence in handling sexual abuse within their dioceses, a commission recommendation that was approved by Francis in 2015. |
| She also expressed disappointment that the pope had in some cases reduced sanctions for convicted abusers of children. Still, she said, “I believe the pope does at heart understand the horror of abuse and the need for those who hurt minors to be stopped.” | She also expressed disappointment that the pope had in some cases reduced sanctions for convicted abusers of children. Still, she said, “I believe the pope does at heart understand the horror of abuse and the need for those who hurt minors to be stopped.” |
| The Irish Times quoted Ms. Collins on Wednesday as saying the attitudes she saw at the Vatican during her work on the panel are “the same attitudes I saw 20 years ago, when I was trying to bring my own case to justice here in Dublin. That’s what’s really the most shocking.” | The Irish Times quoted Ms. Collins on Wednesday as saying the attitudes she saw at the Vatican during her work on the panel are “the same attitudes I saw 20 years ago, when I was trying to bring my own case to justice here in Dublin. That’s what’s really the most shocking.” |
| Ms. Collins was sexually abused by a priest when she was an adolescent. | Ms. Collins was sexually abused by a priest when she was an adolescent. |
| The only other abuse victim who had served on the commission, Peter Saunders, a British advocate for victims, was sidelined last year by the panel after clashing with it over its mission. Mr. Saunders, who was given a leave of absence, has said he has lost faith in the pope’s ability to deal with the problem. |