Vatican blames gays for child sex abuse

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Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone says gays caused the church paedophilia scandal

 

London – 13 April 2010

The number two in the Vatican hierarchy, the Pope’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, claims there is a link between homosexuality and child sex abuse.

“He has, in effect, blamed gay priests for the paedophile scandal that has engulfed the Church,” said human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, who is a spokesperson for the UK ‘Protest the Pope’ campaign.

See the story about the Cardinal’s comments here:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/latinamerica/6955641.html

"Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is a blatant distorter of the truth and an outrageous homophobe. His vile smears against gay people bring shame and dishonour to the church,” added Mr Tatchell.

"The Vatican is trying to deflect attention from the sex crimes of Catholic clergy by blaming gay people. This is really sick.

“The truth is that priests and bishops abused girls and boys alike. There is absolutely no connection whatsoever between paedophilia and loving, consenting adult gay relationships. It shows the depths of dishonesty and homophobia that infects the Vatican at the highest level.

“The Vatican leadership is morally bankrupt and is rightly scorned by all decent Catholics.

“The Vatican and its clergy are responsible for child sex abuse, the cover-up and the protection of paedophile priests. Yet it is trying to blame everyone else. 

"First, the Vatican attempted to dismiss and hide child sex abuse. Then it tried to silence the victims with pay-offs and threats of excommunication. In 2001, the Pope ordered Bishops to observe 'papal secrecy' and he ignored paedophile abuse cases that were bought to his attention.

"More recently, the Vatican accused the media of waging an anti-Catholic campaign. It compared criticism of the Pope to the Nazi persecution of the Jews. These are insulting lies and nonsense,” said Mr Tatchell.

Peter Tatchell’s petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, against the Pope's State Visit to Britain in September, is on the Downing Street website.

It already has over 12,000 signatures:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ProtestthePope/


Catholic Bishops praised

Response to the English Catholic Bishops Conference statement (13 April) on child
sex abuse and sexual orientation

London - 15 April 2010

"I commend the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales for their intelligent, calm and accurate rejection of a causal link between paedophilia and sexual orientation. Their measured, non-homophobic tone contrasts sharply with the shrill, scapegoating comments of Cardinal Bertone," said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell of gay human rights group OutRage!

"The Bishops are right to point out that a propensity to child sex abuse is not based on a person's sexual orientation but on a sexual fixation with young people.

"The reputation of the Vatican and the Pope has been badly damaged by recent attempts to blame gays, the media and Jews for the public outcry over the sex crimes of Catholic clergy.

"The response of the English and Welsh Bishops is much more mature and reasoned than the nonsense that has been coming out of the Vatican in the last few weeks," said Mr Tatchell.
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