International
The Vatican urges to end the opacity in abuse and to accelerate the resignation of pedophile religious
The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, established by Pope Francis to tackle the scourge of abuse, has published its first annual report on Tuesday, in which it claims to end opacity and accelerate the resignation of religious pedophiles, among many other indications.
The report is the result of the study of twenty local churches in the ‘ad limita’ visits made in 2023 to the Vatican, including those of Mexico and Colombia (the bishoprics must travel to Rome every five years to inform the pope and the Curia of their situations).
Its objective, according to it is read, is “to provide the possibility of reporting on its results and recommendations” to the pope, who created this commission in 2014, but also to the “surviving victims” of abuse and to all the churches on the planet.
Among its main conclusions, the report calls for greater transparency and faster assumption of responsibility.
These are some of the indications that appear in the document:
End of opacity
The Church needs to promote victims’ access to information to face the “problem” of opacity in canonical processes. “Measures should be studied to guarantee the right of every individual to access any information that affects him, especially in cases and responsibility for abuses” (always in compliance with the data protection law).
The concept of vulnerability
Cases of abuse are not only with minors but the Church also recognizes them in “vulnerable” adults. Therefore, the commission advocates developing “a mostly uniform definition of vulnerability.”
Faster
The report admits that the victims still suffer civil and canonical processes “difficult, slow and a source of continuous victimization.” That is why he urges to “guarantee an effective, fast and rigorous management” of each case of abuse, also clarifying the role of each dicastery – “mystery” – of the Roman Curia.
Fulminant resignation
Another claim is to “speed up and accelerate the resignation process” of an ecclesial leader accused of abuse “as long as it is justified.”
Compensation
The report calls for “studying compensation policies” to exercise “rigorous” measures of reparation in the process of “healing” of the victims.
A teaching force against abuse
Likewise, the report calls for “even more development of the Magisterium of the Church” on its duty of protection, promoting among its clergy “the dignity of children” through a “unitary and theological-pastoral” vision.
Specialization
The church, in addition, must promote a process of “professionalization” among its members and provide those who are in contact with minors with “academic opportunities” of training endowed with “adequate resources.”
“Worrying facks”
The Commission’s first analysis has found that, while some ecclesiastical authorities demonstrate a clear commitment to protection, others are only “at the beginning of the exercise of responsibilities.”
In some cases, in fact, a “worrying lack” of structures for reporting and accompanying victims has been detected, which contradicts what the pope demands in his document ‘Vos estis lux mundi’ (2023) on the rules against sexual abuse.
“Continuous conversion”
This year the Pontifical Commission has celebrated ten years in which “there has been a growth of awareness of both the reality of sexual abuse within the Church and its mismanagement.” The publication of these reports aims to “facilitate a process of continuous conversion” within Catholic institutions.
Five years to cover everything
There are a total of 114 episcopal conferences on the planet, so the commission, led by American Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, aims to study them all within 5/6 years.
International
Thirteen cuban military members missing after explosion at arms warehouse
Thirteen members of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) have been reported “missing” following an explosion at an arms and ammunition warehouse in the eastern part of the island, the military institution announced.
“As a result of the explosions at an arms and ammunition warehouse in the Melones community… in the province of Holguín, 730 km east of Havana,” two officers, two non-commissioned officers, and nine soldiers are reported as “missing,” according to a statement from the Ministry of the Armed Forces released by Cuban state television.
The statement specified that “investigations are still ongoing at the site,” which led to the evacuation of more than 1,200 residents from areas near the warehouse of a military unit where “aged ammunition was being classified.”
Neither the official press nor Cuban state television have provided images of the explosions at the military unit, but independent media outlets published photos online showing a massive column of smoke and police officers deployed in the streets of the Melones community.
International
Trump considers declaring National Economic Emergency to justify universal tariffs
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may be considering declaring a national economic emergency in order to justify implementing a package of universal tariffs on both allied and adversary countries, according to CNN.
The proclamation of these measures would grant the incoming U.S. president the freedom to create a new tariff program using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
This move would give the president the authority to manage imports during a national emergency.
According to the report, Trump has a penchant for this law as it provides broad jurisdiction on how tariffs are implemented without strict requirements to prove they are necessary for national security reasons.
International
Venezuelan opposition candidate Enrique Márquez detained ahead of Maduro’s inauguration
Enrique Márquez, a minority opposition candidate in Venezuela’s July 28 elections, was “arbitrarily detained,” denounced a political coalition he is part of and his wife, who described the action as “kidnapping.”
Since Tuesday night, there has been a wave of reports of detentions, with at least a dozen arrests just over 48 hours before President Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration for a third six-year term, following a controversial reelection.
“We inform that yesterday, 07.01.25, Enrique Márquez was arbitrarily detained,” stated the Popular Democratic Front (FDP).
“He was kidnapped by paramilitary groups who, using force as their law, aim to silence and intimidate those of us who want a better country and have a different vision,” said his wife, Sonia Lugo de Márquez, on the leader’s X account.
Thirteen cuban military members missing after explosion at arms warehouse
Trump considers declaring National Economic Emergency to justify universal tariffs
Venezuelan opposition candidate Enrique Márquez detained ahead of Maduro’s inauguration
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