The May 2010 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter can now be found at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/Newsletters/Newsletter108(May2010)(RGB).pdf Bill C-384 was soundly defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. Check how the Members of Parliament voted at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/HowTheyVoted.pdf On June 5, 2010, we are co-hosting the US/Canda Push-Back Seminar at the Radisson Gateway Hotel at the Seattle/Tacoma Airport. The overwhelming defeat of Bill C-384 proved that we can Push-Back the euthanasia lobby in the US and Canada and convince people that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a dangerous public policy. Register for the Seminar at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2010SeminarFlyer(RGB)(LetterFormat).pdf The Schindler family are being attacked by a Florida television station and Michael Schiavo. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is standing in solidarity with the Schindler family. My blog comments: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2010/05/att
Thank you for having the courage to report this.
ReplyDeleteWhen I received my training as a Scout leader I was told when one encounters abuse one has two calls to make, the first to the authorities, the second to Scouts Canada.
Michael: One of the reasons that I'm in the bad books of the powers who run this diocese is because I stood up at a meeting in which we were told to report any allegations to a church official ONLY and said that such a policy was in violation of stated Church and State law. In Canada, if anyone (except a lawyer) comes into evidence that a child is in need of protection, they must report it to the appropriate civil authority within 24 hrs. Period. It's as simple as that. Failing to report to the civil authority can result in a person being charged under the Criminal Code of Canada, an offense that can carry a significant jail term. Of course if an offender self-reports in the confessional, we must respect the seal of the sacrament - but we can make it a condition of absolution that the penitent go to the authorities and confess his/her crime. In general, priests MUST (like everyone else in society) report allegations of child abuse to both civil and religious authorities.
DeleteI am surprised by the Vatican's handling of this. The only thing I can think of that would justify such a stance would be situations where the Church and State are in a state of virtual war with each other. Not every place on the planet has a fair and proper criminal justice system. But even then, I would think that the needs of a child should be the paramount consideration.
Fr. Tim
Bravo for you to standing up in that meeting. If any of them object, ask them if they are Knights of Columbus and if they remember their third degree initiation? (I still try to live by the principles I learned there).
ReplyDeleteI too am amazed and disappointed. After what has happened, with that movie coming out about the Boston cover-up, and with the Church having to pay billions in restitution, you would think they would follow the legal requirement as well as the moral requirement.