icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
19 Feb, 2019 04:55

Vatican admits to having secret rules for priests who breach celibacy & father children

Vatican admits to having secret rules for priests who breach celibacy & father children

The Vatican has admitted to having an internal set of guidelines which urge the clergy to “voluntarily” leave their service to the Catholic Church in case they ever father children in violation of their vows of celibacy.

The “internal document” focuses on the “fundamental principle” of child protection by “requesting” the ordained leave the priesthood and “assume his responsibilities as a parent by devoting himself exclusively to the child,” Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told the New York Times, confirming the existence of the secret internal guidelines.

Also on rt.com Prepare for ‘divine justice’: Pope Francis calls on abusive priests to hand themselves in

While the protocol asks clergy to abandon their calling, the “request” is more of a non-binding formality, Monsignor Andrea Ripa, the under-secretary in the Congregation for the Clergy, said, noting that the rule is nearly “impossible to impose.”

Also on rt.com Vatican’s homophobic hypocrisy: 80 percent of priests are gay, explosive book reveals

The admission to having a clear set of rules governing parental responsibility for clergy comes as a teaser for the Vatican’s upcoming summit on sexual abuse – an issue which has plagued the Holy See for centuries. The first-of-its-kind, three-day meeting of world bishops will aim to address the issues of responsibility, accountability, and transparency when it comes to child protection and sexual predators within the church.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
23:13
0:00
25:0