A statement from “UN experts” aims to force the Holy See and the Catholic Church to surrender to abortion and gender ideology. It is likely to be published during the UN Human Rights Council’s current session.
The UN experts’ statement will probably be made under the guise of demands that the Vatican takes all necessary steps to prevent abuse. It has the hallmarks of an attempt to undermine Catholic doctrine by using the sex abuse scandals, says Catholic commentator Andrea Gagliarducci (pictured).
The UN experts cannot urge a state to adopt procedures or to change its law. Nor can they question how a state is putting into action their proposals, Gagliarducci points out.
He says back in February 2014, a U.N. Convention for the Rights of the Child committee report took on the Church’s teaching on human sexuality and canon law.
In May that same year, another UN report – from the Convention against Torture – suggested child abuse was torture. Its aim in doing so was to push the Holy See to introduce new measures, Gagliarducci says.
In December 2019, Dutch jurist Maud de Boer-Buquicchio was the U.N. Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children.
While she praised the pope’s decision that the pontifical secret would no longer apply in cases of accusations and trials involving abuse of minors or vulnerable persons, she urged the Vatican to “enforce mandatory reporting for all clergy and staff who have knowledge of these heinous acts.”
Gagliarducci says the final scope of these statements aims to force the Holy See to change canon law to adapt it to a “human rights protocol”.
This protocol would subtly back or mention “gender perspective” and “sexual and reproductive rights” – meaning a push for the “right” to abortion.
He says he has seen a statement from the “experts” in advance of publication in which they refer to a letter addressed to the Holy See in April.
Gagliarducci says they expressed “utmost concern about the numerous allegations around the world of sexual abuse and violence” against children” and the Church’s attempts to protect the abusers.
They also complained the Holy See’s concordats and agreements with states “limit the ability of the civil authority to question, compel the production of documents, or prosecute people” associated with the Church.”
The Holy See should “refrain from obstructive practices and to cooperate fully with the civil, judicial, and law enforcement authorities of the countries concerned.”
Two Catholic principles are targeted in the article, Gagliarducci says.
One involves the confessional seal, which prevents priests from reporting the contents of confessions to civil authorities.
The second principle is that of the Holy See’s sovereignty.
Gagliarducci says the experts specifically want to see an end to the distinction between the Holy See and the Vatican City State, which ensures the protection of religious freedom. This will enable states to have full jurisdiction over the Church.
The expected letter follows up de Boer-Buquicchio’s statement and will be signed by four other special rapporteurs.
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