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Date:August4,2011 ExcessiveReactionsonRapeandChildAbuse? FatherCiroBenedettini,theVaticanpressofficevicedirector(andrememberanythingcomingfrom thatofficeiscarefullyvettedbeforehand)issuedapressstatementrecentlyaboutthefrictionbetween IrelandandtheVaticanoverthesexualabuseofchildrenbyRomanCatholicpriestsfordecades.His writtenpressstatementconcludedwiththesewords:somedegreeofsurpriseanddisappointment atcertainexcessivereactions."Thishascausedafirestormontopofwhatwas,already,aseriousbreak betweentheIrishgovernmentandthecorporateentitysimplyknowninEireasTheChurch. Aseriesofrevelationsofrapeandbeatingsbymembersofreligiousordersandthepriesthoodinthe pasthaveshatteredthedominantroleoftheCatholicChurchinIreland.Tobefair,FatherCiro BenedettiniwasexplainingwhytheVaticanhadrecalledtheirambassador,calledthenuncio,and explainedthattherecall"shouldbeinterpretedasanexpressionofthedesireoftheHolySeefor seriousandeffectivecollaborationwiththe(Irish)government.ThewordintheIrishpressisthatifhe hadnotbeenrecalled,theIrishPrimeMinisterwouldhaveaskedhimtopackhisbags.

TheVaticanalsosaid,"ApostolicNuncioGiuseppeLeanzahasbeenrecalledforconsultations"after thepublicationoftheIrishjudicialreportintotherepetitivepriestlyabuses.Andthatjudicialreporthad uncoveredpapers,letterstoandfromtheVaticanovertheyears,whichshowtheVaticansoughtto downplaysuchreportsofabuse.Inoneinstance,alettersoughttorelabelanIrishlawdefiningthe 100%needtoreporteverycaseofsuchcrimesofviolence,withtheVaticaninstructingtheBishopsin Irelandtoconsidersuchalawsasstudyguidelines.Thathaspouredmorefuelonthefire. So,theIrishPrimeMinisterKennymadeaspeechcondemningtheHolySeeinwhichheforcefully explainedthattherapeandtortureofchildrenweredownplayedormanaged,toupholdinsteadthe primacyoftheinstitution,itspower,standingandreputation. TheVaticanhasnow,alittlelate,deniedthattheletterwasaninvitationtodisregardIrishlaws.But Kennywasnotdoneyet,InlanguageneverbeforeusedbyanIrishleader,anoutragedKennytoldthe parliamentthattheChurch'sinabilitytodealwiththecasesshowedacultureof"dysfunction, disconnection,elitismandnarcissism"attheVaticanandthenhehammeredtheCatholicChurch's behavioras"absolutelydisgraceful." AndthenwecometotheBritishJusticeMinister(theequivalentofourAttorneyGeneral),KenClark, whowasaskedaboutrapesentencesandrepliedthatthereweredifferenttypesofrapeandthatone

neededtodistinguishbetweendaterapeandseriousrapes.Theinterviewertriedtosavehimfrom suchagaffbysayingButsurely,rapeisrape.ButClarkwasnotthroughdistancinghimselffrom reasonwhenhereplied,No,itsnot.Ifan18yearoldhassexwitha15yearoldandshesperfectly willing,thatisrape.Becausesheisunderage,shecantconsentWhatyouandIaretalkingaboutisa manforciblyhavingsexwithawomanandshedoesntwanttoaseriouscrime. Leavingasidesuchalawenforcementofficersnaivetoflimitingrapetoamanrapingawoman(and notamanonaman,awomanonamanorawomanonawomanallofwhichhappenalltoo frequently),theproblemwithKenClarkesstatementisthatsuchadiscussionofthedegreeofviolence ofrapeshouldbelefttothecourtstodecideatthetimeoftrial.Additionally,anyattempttodistance thewordrapefromviolencebyportrayingrapeaspossiblyconsensualopensaPandorasboxofevils tobeusedagainstthepoorpeoplewhofacesuchabuse.KenClarkeandtheUKPrimeMinister Cameron,inresponsetothemediaandpublicoutcryoverClarkesstatements,havelabeledtheadverse publicreactionashystericalandmisunderstood. Inmanyways,theVaticansresponsetothesexualabusefordecadesinIrelandandKenClarkes attemptatdividingrapeintononconsensualandconsensualactsaresimilar.Bothpartiesareabusing theprivilegeoftheiroffice,theyhavelosttrackofrealityand,unfortunately,itisthelaymenand laywomenwhowillcarrytheburden.

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