Revised Vatican norms will cover abuse of mentally impaired adults
July 08, 2010
New Vatican norms for the handling of sex-abuse complaints will treat abuse of mentally incompetent adults as equally serious as abuse of children, the AP reports.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is expected to release new canonical rules governing its handling of sex-abuse complaints against Catholic priests. The news—which will reportedly extend the statute of limitations for such cases, and include the use of child pornography as a “grave offense”— will codify in canon law policies that the CDF has already adopted in handling sex-abuse complaints. These policies were approved by Pope John Paul II as exceptions to the ordinary provisions of canon law; they will now become part of that law.
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Further information:
- Pope targets priests who abuse mentally impaired (AP)
- Vatican set to revise rules on sexual abuse (Reuters)
- Vatican to issue new norms for sex-abuse cases (CWN, 7/6)
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Posted by: -
Jul. 08, 2010 11:40 PM ET USA
The issue of 'mentally impaired' adults came to a head about 10 years ago when it came to light that the jesuit center at Los altos had employed a couple of mentally impaired adult men to serve as potscrubbers and as homosexual concubines for the resident retired priests. Too little has come to light about this.