[wmfights]

Ratzinger’s 2001 letter, sent to the world’s bishops, reiterated the punishment for anyone going outside the church with allegations of priest sexual abuse.

This is what is so unbelievable. The second there is an allegation the police should be called. It's the cover up that makes this so much worse.

[wideawake]

Ratzinger’s 2001 letter, sent to the world’s bishops, reiterated the punishment for anyone going outside the church with allegations of priest sexual abuse.

The fact is, Quix and wmfights, is that this is simply not true.

That 2001 instruction says absolutely nothing of the kind.

There is no canonical punishment of any kind for a Catholic who gives accurate information about a crime to a secular entity.

The 2001 instruction was written specifically to reiterate that there was no such punishment.

[Quix]

Personally, I could justify some reasonable, relatively brief delay in order to investigate in-house at least in a preliminary way.

However, when it became clear that it was probable that a crime had been committed, then officials ought to have been called in, imho.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

The second there is an allegation the police should be called.

And that's why the pope is trouble here because not only were the police NEVER called, but a clear cover-up ensued.

Similar law suits were brought against Ratzinger in the U.S. but he claimed diplomatic immunity.

In Germany, it's a different story.